Annette, from Australia, has taken to social media to share her story after realising that a lot of people – herself included – often dismiss warning signs instead of sharing their concerns with a doctor.
She explained that she had experienced a myriad of symptoms before she was diagnosed with rectal squamous cell carcinoma three months ago, but ‘wasn’t too concerned’ as she presumed they were down to her change in lifestyle.
According to Cancer Research UK, squamous cell cancers are the most common type of anal cancer and ‘make up around 90 percent of all anal cancers’.
This form of the disease begins in the squamous cells, which make up the lining of the anal canal and anal margin.
Annette urged others not to ignore symptoms until it’s too late (TikTok/@gracecostsnothing)
But as early signs of it aren’t that noticeable or can be attributed to less serious conditions, a lot of people don’t get checked out before it’s too late – so Annette wants everyone to be aware of what to look out for.
In a TikTok video, she explained that she had decided to take stock of her health at the start of this year and underwent ‘lots of tests’ to check that everything was ticking along nicely.
The mum said she had her bloods done, carried out a bowel cancer at home test kit, went for a smear, a mammogram and a CT chest scan – and all of her results came back clear.
“So I was feeling really good about my health,” Annette said. “My weight was really stable, my energy levels were really stable…but a couple things started happening.”
The Aussie told how she began to pick up on some ‘pretty mild symptoms’ she was experiencing, but kept brushing them off because she presumed they were just minor issues.
“I started going to the toilet a lot more regularly, like two to three times a day,” she explained. “Which I kind of thought, well, that’s cool, that’s a bonus. I’m going to the toilet a lot, it must be from having more fibre in my diet.
“I felt like I had haemorrhoids, but I’ve had haemorrhoids my whole life, so I wasn’t too concerned.
“They felt really low and deep and I started getting a little bit of lower back pain, but once again wasn’t too concerned,” she said.
“Then I started getting some bleeding when I went to the toilet when I did number twos. Once again, I thought for internal haemorrhoids, that happens, not too concerned.”
But when the bleeding persisted for several weeks, her family urged her to get checked out by her GP.
Annette explained the doctor carried out an internal examination and then began to quiz her about the blood in her stools, asking whether it was appearing on her toilet paper when she wiped or if it was actually running through the stool.
When she explained it was the latter, the medic broke the news that this was ‘not normal’.
“If you have an internal haemorrhoid, normally the blood just goes on your toilet paper or in the bowl,” Annette continued. “Going through the stool was a bit of a concern. So, she sent me off for a colonoscopy and they found something there.”
Even still, Annette ‘wasn’t too concerned’ because she thought she simply needed the haemorrhoid removed.
The Aussie told social media users to ‘listen to their bodies’ (TikTok/@gracecostsnothing)
She said: “But my daughter came along with me for the results because she was a bit more concerned. And sure enough, they told me that they had found the stage three cancer called rectal squamous cell carcinoma.
“Which was a massive shock…you just don’t believe that you’re going to be that person that’s got it and I felt really quite healthy. All those things could have been explained away or I’d explain them away.
“I just think that we do that, we just kind of think it’s one thing or another and we justify things, but just please don’t.
Annette said she has just completed an ‘intense’ combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy over a six week period, and now has to wait until November to undergo further tests to check that the treatment worked.
Wrapping up the clip, she added: “The purpose of this video is just to really listen to your body and don’t excuse symptoms. Just go and get them checked, ask questions and advocate for yourself – because I had a lot of tests done and I thought everything was okay, but luckily, I had enough of a niggling doubt and my family and friends told me to go and get some more tests done.
“Hopefully, I’ve caught this early enough and this treatment will work.”
Social media users praised the Aussie for her ‘candid disclosure’ and flooded the comment section with well wishes.
One said: “Thank you for sharing, this is so brave of you. No doubt will save lives.”
Another wrote: “I second this. Everyone go and get a colonoscopy. I was tired with low iron and had precancerous polyp removed! If I didn’t have that I’d have bowel cancer in a few years.”
A third added: “That was a very clear and educational video…it’s great you were able to share such a personal experience and quite possibly save someone’s life! All the very best for your life ahead.”
