Ellie Wilcock is a stage 4 bowel cancer survivor who has shared her story, including the four symptoms she first experienced.
She was diagnosed on Valentine’s Day (February 14) 2022 after initially misinterpreting her pain as symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI) that had spread to her kidneys. Ellie had the tell-tale discomfort in her stomach which was wrapping around to her back, but after “infection markers” returned clear results, further testing was prompted. By the time of her diagnosis months later, it was discovered that the cancer had spread from her large bowel to her ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, peritoneum, omentum, and liver.
Following a recent visit to the hospital where she underwent significant treatment, Ellie was struck by how busy the oncology department was. This observation compelled her to speak out on TikTok: “Cancer can happen to anyone. Cancer doesn’t discriminate. It’s a bulldozer that moves into people’s lives and it fills waiting rooms with people, all with their own stories and their own families fighting this horrible, horrible disease,” she said.
Ellie emphasises the importance of early detection for improving survival rates and simplifying treatment: “The earlier we can catch it, the better survival rates, the more people are going to have a very straightforward time of treating it.”
Speaking about her symptoms, Ellie first noticed a change in her bowel habits. She described this as “more diarrhoea, more constipation, swinging between the two”.
“For me, it was a constant change between the two but it just wasn’t normal for me,” she added. Another symptom she experienced was pain and swelling in the abdomen.
“That was both for me, mine was painful and swollen. It was in my left-hand side and it was because the tumour was obstructing my large bowel,” Ellie explained. Fatigue was another major symptom for her.
“That was a big one for me, I’d come home from work and just want to lie down and go to bed. I was really tired and I was really fatigued. Even falling asleep at my desk, I was so tired,” said Ellie. Lastly, upon reflection, Ellie realised she had blood in her poo.
“This could be a range of colours. It could be a bright red, or dark red. Anything that isn’t normal or consistent for you, get it checked out. You’ve got nothing to be embarrassed about. The sooner you get it out the way. It’s probably nothing.”
Fewer than one in four people survive stage four cancer and Ellie was told it was inoperable due to the severity. However, are 15 rounds of chemotherapy over the course of 10 months, they decided to operate. She finished her treatment in August 2023, and will be monitored for any signs of cancer for the next five years.
According to the NHS, the symptoms of bowel cancer may include changes in your poo, needing to poo more or less often, blood in your poo or bleeding from your bottom, stomach pain, bloating, a lump in your tummy, losing weight without trying and feeling very tired for no reason. If you have symptoms of bowel cancer for three weeks or more, you should see your GP. But if you have dark red or black blood in your poo, you should ask for an urgent appointment.