Woman Repeatedly Visited GP Despite Being Told Too Young for Bowel Cancer

A Woman’s Struggle with Bowel Cancer Diagnosis

Milli Tanner, now 23, was diagnosed with bowel cancer after a long and frustrating journey through the healthcare system. Her symptoms began at age 19 in June 2021, when she experienced stomach pains, lower back pain, and blood in her stool. Despite these alarming signs, she was repeatedly told that her symptoms were likely due to piles, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or period problems.

“They said that maybe I’d had a night out, had too much to drink, and that was irritating my stomach,” she recalled. “But the bleeding carried on, as well as the abdominal pain … it was continuous.”

Throughout her visits to the GP, she faced dismissive responses. At one point, she was even advised to go back to her GP after visiting A&E. She described feeling like her concerns were not taken seriously.

“I asked for a second opinion. The doctor came back into the room, said: ‘Right, I’ve just spoken to another A&E department. You’re just too young. Are you happy?’” she said.

Despite her persistent symptoms, Milli was initially told she was too young for such a serious condition. This led her to take matters into her own hands. She ordered a faecal immunochemical test (FIT) online, which looks for tiny traces of blood in the stool that could indicate bowel cancer. The test was positive, and she took her results to her GP. However, it was several more months before the GP ordered a FIT test on the NHS.

At this point, Milli knew she had bowel cancer. “I knew it was going to be bowel cancer. I knew deep down exactly what it was,” she said. “I’d done my own research. It was frustrating. I felt like I was going crazy.”

She eventually underwent an urgent colonoscopy, which confirmed the diagnosis. By this time, the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes and was stage III. She described the moment she saw the mass on the screen: “I saw the mass straight away. I saw it on the screen, and I just said: ‘What’s that?’ And the doctor said: ‘It’s a tumour.’ I said: ‘Is it cancer?’ And she said: ‘I’m really sorry.’”

Symptoms of Bowel Cancer

According to the NHS, symptoms of bowel cancer may include:

• Changes in your poo, such as having softer poo, diarrhea 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 or short of breath – these are signs of anaemia, which can be caused by bowel cancer

Life After Diagnosis

Milli decided to have her eggs collected owing to the risk that cancer treatment would make her infertile. She also underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery, and has been fitted with a permanent stoma. While she has been left perimenopausal, her most recent CT scan and colonoscopy showed no signs of cancer.

Now, she wants to raise awareness of cancer among young people. “It was such a massive issue and stress getting diagnosed. I had at least 20 health appointments, including 13 GP appointments and a visit to A&E where I was told I was too young to have cancer,” she said. “I had always been maternal, so it was heartbreaking to learn I might be infertile.”

She encourages others to trust their instincts. “You know your own body better than anybody else does. If it feels wrong, then keep going back until you find what is wrong.”

Expert Opinions

Amy Harding, director of services and impact at the Teenage Cancer Trust, said: “Milli’s story, although extreme, is sadly not unique. We know from recent evidence and through the young people that we support, that far too often the path to a cancer diagnosis is challenging, traumatic and too long for young people who face delays to diagnosis.”

According to Cancer Research UK, rates of bowel cancer in teenagers and young people up to the age of 24 have increased by 74% since the early 1990s. The Department of Health has been contacted for comment.