Laura Jackson from Southampton wanted to donate blood but was turned away because her iron levels were too low.
According to the Express, her doctor referred her for further tests to determine the cause.
Two FIT tests detected signs of hidden blood in her stool. This led to endoscopic examinations of both her bowel and stomach.
Few warning signs
Laura did not have the most common symptoms of bowel cancer. She experienced neither blood in her stool nor persistent stomach problems, the Express reports.
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She often felt tired but believed it was due to her busy life balancing work and raising two young children.
From time to time, she also experienced severe stomach pain and diarrhoea, but it occurred so infrequently that she did not think much of it.
A large tumour
The examinations eventually revealed a five-centimetre tumour in her colon.
Laura was diagnosed with bowel cancer and underwent surgery in July 2025 to remove around one-third of her colon, according to the Express.
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Following a tissue analysis, the cancer was classified as stage 3 because there were signs that it had begun to spread.
She therefore received four rounds of chemotherapy over a period of 12 weeks.
According to the Express, there are currently no signs of active disease. However, she will continue to attend follow-up appointments over the next five years.
Laura hopes that her story will encourage others to take unexplained symptoms seriously and speak to their doctor if something does not feel right.
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