A mother was informed that she had a stomach bug, but a frightening incident of vomiting a substance resembling “cigarette tar” led to a diagnosis of cancer, sepsis, and emergency surgery. Chloe Wakelin was just 25 years old when she started experiencing symptoms reminiscent of a stomach flu in 2023. Being a daycare worker and a mother to a 6-year-old, she assumed she had contracted a bug from one of the children.
As the symptoms – including bloating, nausea, and fatigue – persisted, she sought medical advice. Despite tests ruling out Crohn’s Disease and irritable bowel syndrome, her doctor attributed her symptoms to a stomach bug. According to Wakelin, who resides in the English town of Rochdale, her symptoms were easily overlooked as she did not exhibit the “typical” signs of bowel cancer, such as bloody stool and weight loss.
In December 2023, Wakelin’s condition worsened when she vomited a substance she likened to “cigarette tar.” Though she went to the hospital, no tests were conducted until a month later when her skin started turning yellow, indicating jaundice. Finally undergoing a scan, doctors discovered a tumor in her colon and identified that she had developed sepsis, a life-threatening condition triggered by the body’s improper response to an infection.
She was informed that immediate surgical intervention was necessary to remove a portion of her bowel. Wakelin recounts being warned that without the surgery, she would have had only 12 hours to live due to her failing kidney and liver. Surgeons removed 25 cm of her bowel along with her lymph nodes to address the cancer’s spread. Subsequently, she had a stoma created in her stomach, allowing waste to exit the body externally and be collected in an ostomy bag.
Upon waking up in recovery, Wakelin vividly recalls feeling the devastation within her abdomen. Reflecting on the experience, she shares that at 25, one often feels immune to conditions typically associated with older individuals, such as cancer. With a desire to raise awareness about colon cancer in young individuals, Wakelin shares her story.
The American Cancer Society has reported a steady rise in colon cancer diagnoses and related deaths among individuals under 50. Wakelin emphasizes the importance of not hesitating to consult a general practitioner about any symptoms, regardless of age, urging everyone to prioritize their health.
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