Jenny Duncan, 45, shares her struggle with bowel cancer and the regret she feels for hiding symptoms out of embarrassment. Her first signs appeared during a 2019 vacation in Lanzarote, but she dismissed them. Starting a new job as a head teacher, she blamed stomach aches and blood on stress and excitement. Jenny even photographed the bleeding but didn’t tell anyone—until her husband saw a picture and urged her to seek help. She was soon diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer.

“I thought bowel cancer only happened to older men,” Jenny admitted. She experienced bloating, gas, and fatigue but blamed her heavy workload. Embarrassment kept her from being open with her doctor. She began chemotherapy as COVID-19 hit the UK, facing treatment largely alone. Though her tumor disappeared, in 2022 the cancer spread to her lymph nodes, becoming incurable.

The diagnosis devastated her. “I kept saying, ‘I’m going to die,’” she recalled. After withdrawing for a time, she returned to work and focused on her adult sons.

Now living with stage 4 bowel cancer, Jenny undergoes regular scans and will restart treatment if needed. Despite uncertainty, she says, “I’m grateful for every day.” She hopes her story encourages others to seek help early.