“Don’t be embarrassed, get help before it’s too late”: Aisling shares her personal experience with bowel cancer
April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, and the Northern Health and Social Care Trust has teamed up with social media influencer Aisling Gallagher to encourage the wider public to familiarise themselves with the symptoms and to avail of routine screening if they are eligible.
Bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, is one of the most common cancers in Northern Ireland, but when found early, treatment is more likely to be successful.
Aisling, 33, and from Crumlin in County Antrim, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2020. She initially experienced a change in her toilet habits, which prompted her to seek medical advice.
Until then, Aisling had always enjoyed good health and had no reason to be concerned. Looking back, she says the experience taught her just how important it is to listen to your body and pay attention when something feels unusual.
“I was always super healthy and didn’t have any issues and never needed to go to the doctor for very much.
“But after I was diagnosed, I realised it can happen to anyone, regardless of their age or lifestyle, so it is super important if you notice anything different or unusual to seek help,” she said.
Echoing this, the Northern Trust’s Colorectal Clinical Nurse Specialist Sarah Lowry said: “The main things to look out for are a persistent change in your bowel habits, like looser stools, going more often, or constipation that doesn’t settle, as well as any bleeding from your bottom or blood in your poo, whether it be bright red or darker in colour.
“Ongoing tummy pain, unexplained weight loss, or feeling more tired than usual can also be signs. If you notice any of these symptoms, please speak to your GP.”
Aisling appreciates that the symptoms associated with bowel cancer can be uncomfortable for people to discuss, but she offers this gentle advice for anyone who’s worried about changes in their body:
“Symptoms can feel embarrassing and a little taboo, but it really doesn’t matter because you would much rather get the help that you need before it’s too late, because early detection is key with bowel cancer.”
Screening also plays a vital role, and Northern Ireland’s Bowel Cancer Screening Programme offers checks every two years to all individuals aged 60 to 74 who are registered with a GP. People in this age group will automatically be sent an invitation and a screening kit in the post so they can do the test at home, which involves collecting a stool sample.
Sarah added: “Screening is for people without symptoms and it is one of the best tools we have to detect bowel cancer early, which is so important as early detection really does save lives.”
To find out more about bowel cancer, go to https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/bowel-cancer where you’ll find a host of information.
If you have any concerns about symptoms or changes in your body, contact your GP as soon as possible for advice, reassurance and referral if required.
1st April 2026
