I know I’m at high risk... so meat is off the menu
‘‘I have no fear of talking about cancer or colonoscopies’’
MATTHEW Barnes-Smith, 29, is a part-time youth worker from Hitchin, Hertfordshire. He says: ‘I used to love bacon – and as a 6ft-tall former rugby player, I’d eat meat most days.
‘But in the past few years I’ve really changed what I eat – these days I cook mainly vegetarian or vegan meals. And no more bacon.
‘I made the decision because there is a strong history of bowel cancer in my family, and I want to reduce my risk as much as possible.
‘Diet is key to doing that – in particular steering clear of processed and red meat.
‘My grandfather, John, died in his early 30s from the disease in the late 1960s, leaving my grandmother with four children under the age of seven.
‘My mum, who is in her 50s, began having colonoscopies in her mid-20s to check for early signs of the disease, as did her siblings. She had a DNA test organised by the bowel clinic last year, which flagged-up an anomaly.
‘Research into genes for bowel cancer is at an early stage, so they don’t know how significant these anomalies are, but she’s now been told to have a colonoscopy every year, rather than every five years as she did before.
‘I had my first colonoscopy a month ago. It didn’t show anything of concern and I have an appointment mid-October when I’ll find out how often I’ll need to be checked out.
‘The actual feeling of the colonoscopy was pretty uncomfortable at times, however I chose not to have any sedation because I was driving myself home, and just used oxygen.
‘All the staff were amazing though, and made me feel at ease.
‘I’ve mentioned it to a few of my friends that I’ve had one. I have no fear of talking about cancer or colonoscopies.
‘Most people you speak to theses days have had some sort of contact with cancer so are able to talk about their experiences quite openly.
‘I also do lots of exercise, including indoor rock climbing once a week, yoga three times a week and running at least twice a week.
‘And this week, I took part in a sponsored 30-mile walk for the charity Bowel And Cancer Research to raise money for vital research.
‘So far, I have been lucky enough to remain cancer-free, and I’m determined to keep living life to the full.’