3 days ago
Bristol bowel cancer patient urges others to use NHS over 50s tests
A man who was diagnosed with bowel cancer at the age of 32 is urging other people to get themselves Carroll spoke to BBC Radio Bristol as part of Joe Sims' Wake Up Call series of broadcasts highlighting the impact of various serious health conditions including heart disease, breast cancer and prostate cancer. Mr Carroll, who is originally from Headley Park, Bristol, was diagnosed after having a blood test as part of fertility treatment and so credits his now four-year-old daughter with saving his this year the NHS expanded its bowel cancer screening programme to those aged 50 and above.
When Mr Carroll was diagnosed in 2018, he had no idea he was suffering with a serious said: "Looking back now I did have symptoms. "I had an ache ... but at the time I just didn't clock it."Mr Carroll added it was not the first time he had faced sickness problems, which meant he dismissed his current symptoms at first."As a kid they thought I had asthma," he said."I used to play a lot of football as a kid and I used to struggle breathing. "I think, with the tumour it's quite slow growing in the bowel, so I just put it down to having asthma."As of January 2025, anyone between the ages of 50 and 74 is automatically sent a home testing kit for bowel cancer every two faecal immunochemical test, also known as the poo test, checks for blood in a small stool sample which is a common sign of cancer."You've got to do it [the poo test]," Mr Carroll said."If there's any issues at all just go to your doctor, just get it checked out. "Just do it. Don't delay it."
