'I put years of pain down to irritable bowel syndrome - then I saw Deborah James' story and got a devastating diagnosis'

A mum-of-two was devastated to receive a life-threatening diagnosis after spending years blaming her bowel issues on irritable bowel syndrome.

Gemma Crossley had long believed she was suffering with irritable bowel syndrome. But it wasn't until she saw a social media post by Dame Deborah James that she went to her GP to get her painful symptoms, including worrying bleeding, checked out.

Deborah James was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016 at the age of 35. Known online as 'bowelbabe', she was a tireless campaigner and fundraiser, sharing her cancer experience with unflinching honesty and tackling many taboos - including encouraging everyone to ‘check their poo.’

It was reading one of Deborah James’ social media posts that prompted receptionist Gemma to go to see her GP to get her own symptoms checked out. Gemma, 41, of Golborne, said: “If it wasn’t for Debs, I’m not sure when I would’ve been diagnosed.

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“I’d spent years with bowel issues, which I’d always put down to irritable bowel syndrome. I had never thought it was cancer.

"Then a post from Deb was a real red flag for me. So, I went back to the GP as the pain was getting worse and I had noticed some bleeding. It was then that they found a lump, and I was referred straight away.

"I owe Debs so much for that post."

Gemma was diagnosed with bowel cancer in December 2020. She underwent five weeks of radiotherapy at The Christie in Manchester, followed by four rounds of chemotherapy and extensive surgery at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in Wigan - which left her with a permanent colostomy bag.

Gemma underwent gruelling cancer treatment at an immensely difficult time as the Covid-19 pandemic