Robbie's bowel cancer story

Bowel cancer usually occurs in people 65 years of age or older, but in Robbie's case, he was in his 20s.

"I was in my early 20s when studying for my post-graduate degree that I started to notice blood in my stools in November 2010. I was really busy at college and didn’t give it much thought. By Christmas, I was starting to feel nauseous and experiencing bouts of pain. I blamed overeating and drinking during the festive season.

"By January 2011 however, the pain had got so intense that I got my father to take me to Naas General Hospital. They detected swelling in my stomach and referred me for a colonoscopy, a simple procedure which examines the inside of the bowel. A tumour was found and I was told that I had bowel cancer.

"I had surgery a few days later which left me with a temporary colostomy bag to allow my colon to heal. This was successful and was reversed shortly after surgery. Once I was well enough, I also underwent chemotherapy treatment for seven months. I managed to complete my Masters during this period and didn't lose my hair which I was hugely relieved by!

"Cancer leaves you feeling incredibly fatigued for many months after treatment has finished but overall I'm doing well today and recently reached the five year clear milestone.

"I work as a consultant in risk and management and enjoy playing sport. I now volunteer as a Survivor Support programme volunteer where I offer support and information to newly diagnosed bowel cancer patients who have a similar diagnosis to myself. My advice to others is to know what is normal for you and if you notice anything unusual, to get yourself checked out straight away.

"Don't mess about, don't say tomorrow, pick up a phone and just get it sorted, you'll already feel a million times better knowing you've taken the first steps."

Are you at risk of bowel cancer? Learn more at www.cancer.ie/bowel.