Active Mother Diagnosed with Inoperable Bowel Cancer Months After Childbirth
Alice Norris, a 35-year-old mother-of-two described as "active" and healthy, received a devastating diagnosis of inoperable bowel cancer just four months after giving birth to her daughter. Her story highlights the unpredictable nature of cancer and the importance of recognising symptoms regardless of age or fitness level.
Pregnancy Symptoms Initially Dismissed
During her second pregnancy with daughter Olivia, Alice first noticed blood in her stool but attributed it to haemorrhoids, a common pregnancy complaint. "I had read and knew about haemorrhoids, so I didn't want to panic," she explained. However, when changes in her bowel habits accompanied the bleeding, she promised herself to seek medical attention if symptoms persisted after childbirth.
"I feel so silly now saying that," Alice admitted. "It sounds silly looking back: 'Why didn't you go sooner?' But this was my second pregnancy, and I knew people who had piles. I put it down to the pregnancy, ultimately."
Postpartum Diagnosis and Treatment Journey
After Olivia's birth in January, Alice's symptoms worsened rather than improved. She experienced consistent blood in her stool and concerning inconsistencies in bowel movements. "Every day was a different story when I looked in the toilet, and that was worrying," she recalled.
Her GP initially conducted blood tests that returned clear results and treated her for haemorrhoids, reassuring her that with no family history of bowel cancer, "it was unlikely to be anything sinister." However, a subsequent colonoscopy in June 2025 revealed a large, inoperable bowel tumour.
"It was just such a tough moment," Alice said of receiving the diagnosis with her four-month-old daughter beside her. "I felt shocked and distressed, and like the rug was just being pulled from under my feet."
Comprehensive Treatment Approach
Determined to "throw the kitchen sink at this," Alice embarked on an aggressive treatment plan combining chemotherapy and radiotherapy. She underwent six cycles of chemotherapy over twelve weeks, describing the experience as "really brutal."
"I'm a positive person, but it really tested me," she said. "I felt constantly sick. I lost all my hair, and couldn't sleep." She noted one unexpected side effect: intense cravings for chicken nuggets that saw her frequently visiting McDonald's drive-throughs.
Following chemotherapy, Alice endured five weeks of radiotherapy while simultaneously caring for her teething newborn. "It was challenging in a different way," she explained. "We had radiotherapy in the day, up with the newborn at night. It was a lot."
Family Impact and Emotional Toll
The diagnosis created significant upheaval for Alice's family. Her husband Olly assumed primary care responsibilities for their two-year-old son Oscar and newborn Olivia while Alice attended numerous medical appointments. "My husband had to take on having a newborn and having a toddler full-time, pretty much, on his own," she said.
The situation proved particularly triggering as Alice lost her mother to blood cancer eight years earlier. "I've had to live with uncertainty before, but I've had to learn to live with it again," she reflected. "It's really difficult, and it's worrying, and it's distressing, and all I can do is take each day as it comes."
Hope for Surgical Intervention
Current treatment aims to shrink the tumour sufficiently to make surgery possible. "Now we're in a new year, and what I'm hoping and praying for is surgery in the spring," Alice shared. However, she acknowledges the unpredictable nature of cancer: "No one can say what's gonna happen until we see scans."
Scans initially showed concerning spots on her lungs that raised fears of stage four cancer, but subsequent PET scans indicated these had resolved, offering some relief though uncertainty remains about the exact cancer stage.
Raising Awareness About Bowel Cancer Symptoms
Alice hopes her experience will encourage others to understand bowel cancer symptoms and overcome taboos about discussing bowel health. "I'm young, I'm so healthy, I'm active," she emphasised. "I've run a marathon, and I used to do CrossFit. I'm always on the dance floor. So I guess this really just shows that it can happen to anyone."
According to the NHS, bowel cancer symptoms include:
- Changes in bowel habits or consistency
- Blood in stool or rectal bleeding
- Persistent abdominal pain or bloating
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue or breathlessness indicating anaemia
Genevieve Edwards, chief executive of Bowel Cancer UK, commented: "We're incredibly grateful to Alice for raising awareness of her experience. Every 12 minutes, someone in the UK is diagnosed with bowel cancer, making it the fourth most common cancer. Although more common in the over 50s, evidence shows bowel cancer is increasing in younger people."
Edwards emphasised: "Bowel cancer is treatable and curable, especially if diagnosed early. Whatever your age, if you're experiencing symptoms, please contact your GP. It could save your life."
Alice's message remains clear: understanding your body's normal functions and speaking openly about changes "might save your life, or someone else's."
