Doctors told me I had hemorrhoids – while cancer was ‘eating away’ at my bowel

A woman who was misdiagnosed for months says doctors told her she had hemorrhoids – while cancer was ‘eating away’ at her bowel

Lisa Snooks, 43, from Barry, South Wales, was repeatedly told by doctors to carry on with hemorrhoids treatment until her pain got so severe that she pushed for cancer tests.

Following an endoscopy and MRI in February 2022, she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of anal cancer which had ‘eaten away’ parts of her bowel and was protruding externally.

In March of that year, she had a colostomy bag fitted and then underwent an 11-hour surgery to remove her pelvic floor, rectum and vagina – leaving a cavity wound which must be repacked daily by nurses.

Despite now being in remission, the treatment she underwent has left her struggling with low platelet count due to damage to her bone marrow.

Tragically, she lost her brother to the same condition in February 2021 – and says she’s terrified of the future.

Lisa is now struggling mentally because of the stress and the open cavity wound left behind by surgery.