Triathlete Laura Butcher knew something still wasn't right with her, despite recovering from a fall from her bike. And knowing what had happened to her mum, she began to fear the worst when she started seeing some telltale signs.
The 40-year-old, from Bridgend, had been training to tackle her first triathlon before it was cancelled due to the Covid pandemic. However, she continued to train during lockdown, and last year took part in a 70-mile cycle ride from her home in the Bridgend area to Mumbles and back.
While she was cycling through SA1 on the return route, she came off her bike and broke her collarbone. Laura was taken to hospital and given a course of painkillers. After finishing her medication, Laura said she still did not feel fully fit, and began to notice blood in her stools. As her mother had bowel cancer at 60 years old, she knew the symptoms and decided to seek medical advice. You can get more health news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
Laura underwent multiple tests to get a diagnosis. She first had a blood test for bowel cancer, which came back negative, but Laura was certain something wasn't right and insisted on being seen again. In July, 2021, after a few other tests, she was eventually diagnosed with the same cancer her mother had battled.
Treatment for bowel cancer can affect fertility so Laura underwent IVF to harvest her eggs before starting her course of treatment. She then had five days of radiotherapy at Velindre Cancer Centre and six cycles of chemotherapy over the following five months. In May, she underwent colorectal surgery to attempt to remove the tumour and fit a colostomy which left her with a stoma (ileostomy) bag.
Having been "bitter and angry" at her diagnosis at first, Laura is determined to show that having a stoma bag does not stop anyone from leading an active and healthy lifestyle.
“I was dreading it,” she said. “I was concerned if I was swimming it might leak, and I was freaking out at the thought of it. But I found out that my friend, Dan Bevan, who is from another local triathlon team, has a permanent stoma bag."
She added: “He has been a massive help to me and gave me lots of advice. If I was panicking late at night, he would ring me back to calm me down and advise me what to do. He’s been inspirational – he goes into hospital and talks to people who are going through the same experience facing stomas.”
Six weeks after surgery, Laura was back out training again and completed two aquathlons – a race involving running and swimming. The first was in Monmouth and Laura and her team came in second place overall. She then won the female swim at an aquathlon in Tredegar’s Parc Bryn Bach and was overall second in her age category. Laura also took part in Cardiff Pizza Run’s 5K course, coming in as first female and third overall.
In September, she then took part in Jiffy’s Cancer 50 Challenge, which is a 50-mile cycle ride - hosted by former Wales rugby captain Jonathan Davies- from Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff to the South West Wales Cancer Centre at Swansea’s Singleton Hospital. This race also took her along the route where she had originally broken her collarbone.
The money raised from the event goes towards the two cancer centres/ Last year's donation to the Singleton centre went towards its newly-established Radiotherapy Research Fellow Fund - this is for trainee oncologists undertaking research, paving the way for new treatments for cancer patients.
Earlier this autumn, Laura completed her first triathlon in Newport. She said: “Until you have been affected by cancer, you don’t realise fully what it is like. Last year I would not have been fit enough to do it. Even after I had my stoma bag and some counselling, I was still feeling bitter and angry.
“Poo isn’t something people like to talk about, but now I am the opposite. I don’t want anyone else to go through the experience, so I make sure people are aware of it and you can’t shut me up about it. I’ve achieved a lot since having my surgery. You don’t have to be super-fit or compete in triathlons, but it does go to show that having a stoma bag is no barrier to enjoying an active lifestyle, whatever way you choose.”
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