Dad Mark tells of his shock diagnosis

A DAD has told of his shock at being diagnosed with bowel cancer at only 38 as a charity warned people not to ignore signs.

Mark Newberry, now 41, suffered from irregular bowel movements for several months, but it wasn’t until he began have stomach pains that he sought medical attention.

Dad-of-two Mark, from Hamilton, said: “In the week leading up to my diagnosis, I had bad stomach pains, was unable to keep any food down and felt lethargic.”

Two days later, Mark was diagnosed with stage four cancer and was rushed for an emergency

BY LYNN LOVE operation. He said: “It was a lot to get my head around in such a short space of time.

“Bowel cancer wasn’t something which had even crossed my mind, even though my grandfather had died from the disease years ago.

“Eventually, my wife forced me to go to A&E as I was in so much pain. I had an X-ray and was kept in hospital overnight.”

He was later told by doctors the tumour had blocked his bowel and the cancer had spread.

Mark had eight cycles of chemotherapy over six months and suffered side-effects including sensitivity to cold and tingling in his hands.

Genevieve Edwards, chief executive at Bowel Cancer UK, says: “It’s vital that people can recognise the signs of bowel cancer and know it isn’t a disease which only affects older people.

“Many are delaying getting help for their symptoms at the earliest opportunity, assuming they’re not serious or they will just go away on their own. “

Symptoms which should be investigated include bleeding from the rectum, blood in faeces, a persistent change in bowel habits, and a pain or lump in the stomach.