A young woman who faced a stage three bowel cancer diagnosis at just 24 has issued a powerful public warning, urging others not to dismiss the subtle symptoms she once brushed aside.
A Diagnosis That Defied Age
Paige Seifert, a 25-year-old engineer from Denver, Colorado, is now cancer-free, but only after enduring months of gruelling treatment. Her ordeal began when doctors discovered the disease had already reached an advanced stage. Ms Seifert first noticed blood in her stool, persistent stomach pain, and unexplained fatigue – signs she initially attributed to less serious conditions.
Her story emerges amid growing medical concern over a sharp increase in bowel cancer cases among people under 50. A study published last year found that younger patients often experience a distinct pattern of warning signs, with rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, and changes in bowel habits being common. In the UK, approximately 42,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer annually, resulting in over 17,000 deaths.
The Symptoms She Wishes She'd Acted On Sooner
In a viral TikTok video, Ms Seifert outlined the three key symptoms that ultimately led to her diagnosis. When she first saw blood in her stool in August last year, she and her doctor assumed it was haemorrhoids. "I went to the doctor, who said I was too young for it to be cancer," she recalled. It wasn't until January 2025, when she sought a second opinion from a gastroenterologist, that a colonoscopy revealed a large tumour in her colon.
The previously fit sports lover also experienced sporadic stomach pain and discomfort. Doctors explain that such pain can occur when a tumour causes a partial blockage in the bowel. Bowel Cancer UK advises that any sudden or intense abdominal symptoms warrant urgent medical attention.
Ms Seifert also highlighted profound fatigue, a symptom easily dismissed due to work or lifestyle. "This, combined with all the rest, was a big indicator for me," she said. This fatigue in bowel cancer patients is often caused by anaemia from slow blood loss or by inflammatory proteins released by the disease.
A Vital Call for Awareness Among the Young
Following 12 rounds of chemotherapy and major surgery, Ms Seifert is in remission. Her successful outcome underscores the importance of early detection. While stage one bowel cancer has a five-year survival rate of around 90%, this falls to about 65% for stage three and plummets to roughly 10% at stage four.
Her warning resonates strongly in the UK, following the death of campaigner Dame Deborah James at age 40 in 2022. Dame Deborah raised over £11.3 million for research and significantly increased public awareness of the disease.
Other symptoms to watch for include unexplained weight loss, shortness of breath, and persistent changes in bowel habits, such as diarrhoea or pencil-thin stools. Experts are still investigating the reasons behind the rise in younger patients, with potential factors ranging from dietary changes and environmental exposures to modern lifestyles.
Ms Seifert's message is clear: do not ignore persistent bodily changes, regardless of your age. Early consultation with a doctor can provide more treatment options and dramatically improve the chances of survival.
