A mum who was diagnosed with cancer says she brushed off the early warning signs as a “dodgy burger”.
Kerry Hatrill noticed mucus and faint pink streaks when wiping after going to the toilet.
After visiting her GP and providing a stool sample, results came back normal, offering reassurance at the time.
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However, her symptoms didn’t go away.
Over the following weeks, Kerry, 49, began experiencing persistent bloating, changes in her bowel habits, and an increased urgency to go to the toilet.
Despite the changes, Kerry admits she attributed many of the symptoms to perimenopause or simply getting older.
“My stools became pencil thin, and I often felt the urge to go but couldn’t,” Kerry, from Bromley, Greater London, told Need To Know.
“I also had sharp pain in my rectal area a couple of times a month and was dealing with extreme fatigue.
“When I noticed mucus and pink streaks after wiping one evening, I assumed I’d eaten something dodgy the night before.
“I’d had a takeaway burger and chips.
“Looking back, I’d also been brushing off my symptoms as being related to perimenopause, my menstrual cycle, or simply age-related changes.”
It wasn’t until she experienced a significant episode of bleeding in April 2024 that she returned to her doctor.
Further tests, revealed she had low iron anaemia.
She was urgently referred for a colonoscopy.
During the procedure, doctors discovered a tumour in her rectum, roughly the size of a small orange.
A month later, she received the official diagnosis – stage three rectal cancer.
The customer service assistant said: “I’d already been given an indication it could be cancer, so when I received the official diagnosis, I felt prepared.
“I was calm and ready with questions.
“A Macmillan Cancer Support nurse who was with me thought I might be in shock, but I wasn’t.
“I simply wanted the cancer removed and to be cured, especially as I’d been told that treatment would be with curative intent.
“I was initially frightened for my life during the colonoscopy, but by the time I received my diagnosis, I had processed the possibility and no longer saw it as a death sentence.
“They said it was treatable and that gave me a sense of relief.”
Kerry began an intense treatment plan, starting with four rounds of chemotherapy.
This was followed by 25 sessions of radiotherapy alongside chemotherapy tablets.
In February last year, Kerry underwent major surgery to remove the tumour.
Throughout her journey, she says one of the hardest moments was telling her two sons Jake, 28, and Craig, 25.
Kerry said: “Telling my kids was incredibly hard because I couldn’t guarantee what the outcome would be.
“However, they’ve been a constant source of support and strength, and they always believed in me as a fighter.
“During the chemotherapy, I experienced nausea, fatigue, weakness, and joint pain and have been left with long-term peripheral neuropathy in my fingers and toes.
“But I carried on working and I’m fortunate to have an employer who was understanding and supportive.”
Just one month after completing her final chemotherapy treatment, Kerry received the news that she was in remission.
She is now on a five-year monitoring plan to check for any recurrence.
Kerry said: “When I was told there was no evidence of disease, I felt elated.
“Everything I had been through felt worth it, knowing that I had come through the other side and was cancer free.”
Kerry is sharing her story to raise awareness of the often-overlooked symptoms of bowel cancer and to encourage others to trust their instincts.
She added: “I want to encourage others not to ignore symptoms.
“If you experience any changes in bowel habits lasting more than three weeks, blood in your stool or when you wipe, bloating, or extreme fatigue, please seek medical advice.
“You’re never too young and I urge people to persist with their doctor and advocate for themselves if something doesn’t feel right.
“Early detection can make a life-changing difference.”
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