Laura, a 38-year-old mother of two, was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer after ignoring a crucial sign she thought was normal. She attributed her constant tiredness to her demanding lifestyle, but it turned out to be a symptom of cancer. Diagnosed in June 2025, she has since undergone four rounds of chemotherapy.
A Red Flag She Ignored
Laura, who has over 18,000 followers on TikTok, has been documenting her recovery journey. In one video, she explained how she overlooked a key symptom, believing it was normal. 'I would have done things a lot differently,' the caption read. She described her biggest regret: not listening to her body. 'I was so tired all the time and I just thought this is normal. I think a lot of us, especially working parents with young children, think oh, this is normal, to feel tired,' she said.
Persistent Fatigue as a Warning Sign
Persistent fatigue is a telltale sign of many cancers, yet many people, like Laura, dismiss it due to a busy lifestyle. 'I have really young children, I am working, I do not stop for a single second, so I am going to be tired. But my body was trying to tell me something was wrong. I ignored it, and I really wish I had gone to the GP sooner. They might have caught it at an earlier stage and avoided chemo,' she added.
Laura had no other bowel cancer symptoms. 'That was the only symptom my body gave me, and I think a lot of us feel tired a lot of the time,' she noted. She now encourages others not to ignore this sign. 'If you are feeling really knackered, affecting your day-to-day life, and you get a full night's sleep but do not feel refreshed, please get your bloods checked. Talk to your GP and find out why you are so tired,' she advised. She also stressed, 'If they tell you you are anaemic, please have a FIT test.' The faecal immunochemical test (FIT) detects blood in stool, a key bowel cancer indicator.
What Is Bowel Cancer?
Bowel cancer, or colorectal cancer, starts in the colon or rectum. It is one of the most common cancers in the UK, according to the NHS. Symptoms include changes in bowel habits (softer poo, diarrhoea, constipation), needing to go more or less often, blood in poo (red or black), bleeding from the bottom, feeling like you need to poo even after going, stomach pain, a lump in the stomach, bloating, unexplained weight loss, and feeling very tired or short of breath. The NHS advises contacting your GP if any symptom lasts three weeks or more.
