‘I feel lucky cancer was detected’
Bowel cancer patient Margaret Fenton, from Omagh, shows off the life-saving bowel cancer test along with Dr Janet Little, Assistant Director of Service Development and Screening at the Public Health Agency and Larne bowel cancer patient Alaster Smyth at the PHA launch of its bowel cancer screening programme awareness campaign.
Alaster Smyth, 68, from Glynn, near Larne in Co Antrim praises the bowel cancer screening programme, led by the Public Health Agency, for saving his life.
“The test arrived through the letterbox for my wife and me and I was just going to throw mine in the bin but she forced me not to and I am now so glad she did,” he explained.
“My wife’s results came back clear but mine came back asking me to take a further test. I immediately thought they had made a mistake as I felt extremely well and was still working away in a very physically demanding job.
“However I was then called for a colonoscopy and scan which showed I had bowel cancer but thankfully hadn’t spread. It was the shock of my life to be told I had bowel cancer as I had no symptoms at all and felt fit and healthy carrying out all my normal duties at work and walking for miles with the dog.”
The Co Antrim grandfather had surgery to remove the tumour and subsequently did not need a colostomy bag or further treatment.
“I feel so lucky that my cancer was detected so early on and I’m so glad my wife made me do the test – it saved my life,” added Alaster, who has now retired.
“I urge all my friends who say they are going to throw the test away to reconsider and do it. It is a life-saving exercise which only takes a few minutes – ignore it at your own risk.”
Meanwhile Omagh pensioner Margaret Fenton, 68, who spoke at the launch following surgery for bowel cancer in 2010, also urged people to take the test.
“I feel I have been very lucky as I had no symptoms at all, felt extremely healthy and living a very normal, active life,” she said.
“The test came through my letterbox and I thought I might as well take it as I was convinced there was nothing wrong with me. I sent it off and four days later received a letter asking me to repeat the test. I posted this away and then five days after that I received a letter asking me to contact the hospital which I did. It was arranged for me to have a colonoscopy four weeks later and the doctor told me he was 99 per cent sure I had bowel cancer,” said the motorbike enthusiast.
“Following a further colonoscopy and CT scan it was confirmed I had early stages of bowel cancer but the good news was the CT scan showed it had not spread anywhere else in my body.
“I was so shocked as I hadn’t any symptoms at all and no change in my bowel motions. The doctor told me I would only have started noticing symptoms six months or a year later and who knows at what stage I would have been at then.”
Margaret had surgery to remove six centimetres of her bowel only a few days later and subsequently did not need a colostomy bag or any further treatment.
“I would urge everyone who gets the test through the post to do it. It might seem embarrassing but it is not as it can be done in the privacy of your own bathroom – your family don’t even need to know,” added the grandmother.
“It is such a simple test and it could end up saving your life. I wake up every morning feeling very lucky. I can’t urge people enough to do this test and I tell my friends who are thinking of throwing it away ‘it could save your life – it saved mine’.”
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Weather for Belfast
Friday 25 May 2012
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Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
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