Leeanne Davies-Grassnick, a 42-year-old London-based former City banker, had always dreamed of being a mother. After years of hard work, the first few months with her newborn son were the happiest of her life. However, during this period, she began experiencing intense fatigue, rapid weight loss, and later, severe pain in her right ribcage. Initially, she attributed these symptoms to the demands of caring for a newborn, such as sleepless nights and the physical recovery post-birth. It wasn't until a holiday in Corfu in April 2022, four months after giving birth, that the pain intensified to an alarming degree, prompting her to seek medical attention upon her return.

Within two days of returning home, Leeanne was rushed to the hospital due to unbearable pain. There, she received the devastating diagnosis of advanced bowel cancer that had spread throughout her liver, rendering it incurable. Her immediate thought was for her baby, asleep in the waiting room.

Leeanne's experience, unfortunately, is not unique. Despite increased public awareness regarding the rise in bowel cancer cases among individuals under 50, thousands of young women are still being diagnosed too late, when the disease is no longer curable. This critical delay often stems from the fact that early signs of bowel cancer, such as fatigue, changes in bowel habits, and blood in the stool, frequently overlap with more common symptoms associated with post-partum hormonal changes or mid-life transitions like menopause. Consequently, these crucial red flags can be dismissed by both patients and General Practitioners (GPs) as mere 'women's issues'.

Other prominent figures have faced similar challenges. Married At First Sight star Mel Schilling tragically passed away at 54 from bowel cancer that had metastasized to her brain; she had initially dismissed her symptoms, including abdominal pain, constipation, and fatigue, as signs of menopause. Similarly, bowel cancer campaigner Dame Deborah James, who died in 2022, attributed her altered bowel habits to the stress of being a 'super mum' working full-time, ignoring increasingly severe symptoms for a year before her diagnosis.

Genevieve Edwards, chief executive of Bowel Cancer UK, highlights that for younger women, vigilance for bowel cancer symptoms is often a low priority. She explains that it is understandable for women and their GPs to explore other avenues first, given that bowel cancer, while rising, is still relatively rare in this age group. This often leads to repeated GP visits while other causes are ruled out, by which point the cancer may be much harder to treat.

Professor Willie Hamilton, a former GP and expert in colon cancer diagnosis, emphasizes the ease with which cancer signs can be ascribed to other conditions in young women, particularly those who are post-partum or nearing menopause. He notes that fatigue from colon cancer typically arises from anaemia due to blood loss from a tumour, which can easily be confused with tiredness common during menopause or heavier periods leading to anaemia. Colorectal surgeon Mr. Pasha Nisar adds that pregnancy and the post-partum period can also cause excessive tiredness and blood in the stool, often due to pregnancy-induced haemorrhoids or birth trauma. He also points out overlaps with common gynaecological conditions like ovarian cysts, fibroids, and endometriosis.

Ironically, women's higher likelihood of seeing a GP compared to men can also work against them, according to Professor Hamilton. GPs might miss the 'ringing bell' sign of bowel cancer, which often triggers when a patient who hasn't visited for years suddenly presents with symptoms. Because women are generally more frequent attenders, this alarm signal may not activate in a GP's mind.

Some experts, like Lowri Dowthwaite-Walsh from the University of Central Lancashire, suggest that medical misogyny also plays a role. She argues there's a significant deficit in the understanding of women's health compared to men's, and women are often socialized to prioritize others' health. Even when women seek medical help, their symptoms are more likely to be downplayed or attributed to hormones or stress, reflecting historical views of women as emotional or hysterical. A recent Mumsnet survey, analyzing over 100,000 posts, found that nearly 70 percent of British women believe the NHS doesn't take women's health concerns seriously, with half reporting being dismissed, ignored, or disbelieved by health professionals due to their sex.

To counter these issues, Ms. Edwards advises women with concerns about bowel cancer to be persistent with their GP. Bowel Cancer UK offers a symptoms diary to help women log their symptoms precisely, making them harder to dismiss. Professor Hamilton stresses the importance of asking for an at-home stool test, specifically the FIT test. This test, which looks for trace signs of blood, has revolutionized bowel cancer diagnosis. It's relatively cheap, widely available, and can be done from home, quickly assuaging fears or indicating the need for further testing like a colonoscopy. He urges women to know to ask for it and GPs to offer it when key signs are present, even if just to rule out cancer.

Dr. Philippa Kaye, a family doctor, shared her own experience of being diagnosed with bowel cancer at 39 after experiencing only a strange aching sensation in her pelvis. Neither she nor her doctor initially suspected cancer, attributing the pain to previous caesarean sections. It was her gynaecologist's decision to refer her to a bowel surgeon that led to a life-saving colonoscopy. Her story underscores the complexity of the female pelvis and the critical need for self-advocacy and for doctors to listen attentively to women's symptoms, especially given the rising trend of early-age bowel cancer cases.

For Leeanne, awareness among young women is paramount. She acknowledges having experienced every bowel cancer symptom before her diagnosis but never once considered it could be cancer. She emphasizes that mothers and young women often believe such a diagnosis couldn't happen to them, but her experience in chemotherapy rooms filled with young women highlights the reality. She advocates for learning from each other's stories and seeking medical help promptly. Resources like Stage4You, a campaign offering information and support for those with stage 4 cancer, can assist. Ultimately, Leeanne urges women to prioritize their own health.