Beth claims that doctors ‘missed chances’ to spot the disease for years
A woman who says she has “forgotten what it feels like to not be in pain” is urging every young person to understand that cancer does not discriminate. She claims that her symptoms of “the fourth deadliest cancer in the world” were overlooked for so long because she was in her twenties.
Beth Stichbury began experiencing stomach issues and first went to get help from her GP around the age of 20 when constipation and occasional bleeding raised her concerns. The now 27-year-old found herself frequently visiting her GP’s office over the next six years, but was consistently told it was ‘nothing to worry about’ or simply a case of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Finally, in August 2024, she was referred for a colonoscopy, where she could clearly see a tumour on the screen. In September, she was driving to Sainsbury’s when she received a phone call that changed everything and confirmed she had stage four colorectal cancer.
Doctors have warned her that the chances of it being fatal are “relatively high”, which would leave her three-year-old daughter Willow without a mother. Dental nurse Beth, from Tonbridge in Kent, is now contemplating legal action over the missed opportunities to detect the disease, reports the Daily Record.
She said: “I never thought it would be anything really harmful. I was always told that I had IBS, and it turns out I probably didn’t. I was driving to Sainsbury’s when they called me to say that I had cancer. After doing some research into the type of cancer, I fit the description almost perfectly.
“It wasn’t a total shock. I was somewhat relieved in a way that there was something that could be done. Obviously, I didn’t expect that my journey would end up how it is. It is heartbreaking, but by that point I was prepared for it.”
Bowel cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the colon or rectum, beginning with a polyp – described as an unusual tissue growth. Beth is currently undergoing chemotherapy, which commenced in October, and she explained it will carry on “until it stops working”.
The cancer has now metastasised to her liver and lungs, resulting in severe pain and exhaustion, and she has had a stoma bag fitted. Beth is also hoping to participate in clinical trials in the future if any become accessible, but the mum worries that this cancer will shortly take her life.
She explained: “I have extreme pain all day every day and I am incredibly weak. I can’t do what I used to do or what a normal 27-year-old should be able to do. I have forgotten what it feels like to stand up and not be in pain. I miss the normal things like taking my daughter to the park. I don’t have the energy anymore [and] I miss out on a lot.”
Beth revealed that she “just wants to see as many milestones” with her young daughter as possible. “I would love to see her go to school,” she said.
Now, Beth is planning to pursue legal action due to frustration that her symptoms were dismissed and misdiagnosed for such a lengthy period. She said: “I went to the GP about eight times before something was done. Every time that I went I was told it was something else and I always believed my GP. The doctors just told me to drink more water and focus on my diet.”
The former ballet instructor believes they disregarded her symptoms because of her young age and physical fitness. Since receiving her diagnosis, Beth has designed symptom posters which she has displayed in public locations and distributed on the street to urge other young people to get tested for the same condition as her, which is “the fourth deadliest cancer in the world”.
Bowel cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the UK. The NHS website has lots of resources for those who have, or are family members of someone with, bowel cancer.
