A man who felt he was “heading into a problem” was eventually diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer.
Jon Imondi, 43, experienced dissatisfaction and health issues while working from home after the pandemic. In an interview with Surrey Live, the IT engineer shared his experience: “There was probably about eight months of strange things happening.”
He admitted to overlooking early warning signs, saying, “I actually think 18 months or two years before that I found some blood in the toilet but I pretty much dismissed it stupidly. Then eight months before my diagnosis I had Covid and I was having really bad night sweats and waking up soaking wet.
“I kept getting up to pee – my immune system was just about shot. I was tired all the time. And literally about six weeks before my diagnosis I had a chest infection and also developed a shingles rash on my back.”
Despite ignoring many symptoms initially, Jon sought medical advice, which led to the discovery of blood in his stool samples and a subsequent colonoscopy. When asked if he suspected cancer, he said: “No, not at all. Stupidly I actually dismissed a lot of it to stress and just being unhappy in life and struggling in my work.”
However, Jon’s diagnosis came in December 2022 after the colonoscopy could not get past a tumour, which turned out to be cancerous. Despite the devastating diagnosis, Jon, from Worcester, considers himself “extremely lucky” with the timing of his diagnosis.
Doctors suspected that his tumour was perilously close to breaking free from his colon and spreading into his liver, which might have led to a stage-four cancer diagnosis. The individual who overcame cancer underwent keyhole surgery, in which the tumour and part of his colon were removed.
Post-surgery, the surgeon recommended six months of chemotherapy. However, he decided this course of action did not sit well with him and chose a different path.
He shared his experience: “I sold my car and lived off fruit and vegetables for six months. I got a pushbike and walked everywhere and went back to therapy and really took care of myself.
“I truly felt amazing and looked amazing. I think people were shocked when they saw me a couple of months after. I think they assumed I would be walking around carrying a drip looking ashen.”
In addition to overcoming his immediate health hurdles, Jon also found out he has a genetic disorder known as Lynch syndrome, which increases his chances of developing cancer. Now, he discusses cancer on his YouTube channel and is training as a therapist.
Reflecting on life two years post-diagnosis, whilst building a business to aid those with developmental trauma, Jon states: “Life looks good and I generally stick to a really healthy diet.
“I eat well and I still make sure I walk once or twice a day for a minimum of 30 minutes at a time and I do have a car again and feel good.”
Speaking about the importance of taking health concerns seriously, he advised: “That one’s simple – just get yourself checked out because it really is not worth the risk. I was extremely lucky with my timing.
“I could’ve been stage four and that’s a whole different story.”
The NHS advises anyone experiencing bowel cancer symptoms for three weeks or more to see a GP.
They also strongly encourage people not to be embarrassed about talking about them – and that doctors and nurses speak about the symptoms frequently.
As for the main symptoms, the NHS states:
- changes in your poo, such as having softer poo, diarrhoea or constipation that is not usual for you
- needing to poo more or less often than usual for you
- blood in your poo, which may look red or black
- bleeding from your bottom
- often feeling like you need to poo, even if you’ve just been to the toilet
- tummy pain
- a lump in your tummy
- bloating
- losing weight without trying
- feeling very tired for no reason
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