FOR actress Jennifer Metcalfe, her art now imitates life.
After losing her dad Colin to bowel cancer when she was just 15, the star’s Hollyoaks character Mercedes McQueen has been diagnosed with the disease.
The mum-of-one, 41, says it is a storyline she really wants to do justice to, knowing first-hand how devastating the illness can be.
“This story is incredibly important to me,” Jennifer says.
“I lost my dad to bowel cancer and it has impacted my life hugely.
“I’ve never taken my own health for granted so, when we discussed the storyline, I jumped at the chance to do anything that might encourage people to talk.
“Mercedes deals with it in her own way. She’s powerful, glamorous and takes pride in her appearance.
“I’m so glad it happened to this character, because it literally can happen to anyone.
“She thinks she’s invincible, and she’s not. She’s never felt so vulnerable.
“We’ve never seen that side of her and, if people are talking about that, then hopefully it becomes talking about their own health.”
Bowel cancer is the UK’s fourth most common cancer.
It is also the second deadliest, claiming 16,800 lives a year – including that of Sun columnist and campaigner, Dame Deborah James in June 2022.
In order to prepare for her storyline, Jennifer has sought help and advice from Bowel Cancer UK, as well as speaking to two women who know what Mercedes is suffering.
Emma Barber and Andrea Robson were just 28 and 37 when they were diagnosed.
Here, they tell Clare O’Reilly their stories.
- Hollyoaks streams first on channel4.com at 7am and broadcasts live on E4 Mon-Weds at 7pm.
‘PALMED OFF AND TOLD I HAD PILES’
EMMA, now 32, from Worcester, spent six months going back and forth to the doctors before finally being diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer in January 2021. She says:
“I was told constantly it was just haemorrhoids or fissures.
“I had blood in my stool but no one took it seriously and even though I had an exam at the GPs, I was told I had piles.
“I was worried about cancer but was told I was too young despite the fact I knew my grandad had died of bowel cancer and my uncle had it too.
“My son Oscar was just one at the time though and I was busy and tired so I put it down to having a bad diet.
“I hoovered up his leftovers and wasn’t eating brilliantly as I was working a lot.
“I was eventually referred on for a colonoscopy and a CT scan in January 2021.
“When I was wheeled round to a bay afterwards, the consultant came in and asked me if I had a family member with me – I didn’t as it was around Covid so my partner Dean came up as quickly as he could.
“I was told it was cancer and I remember the first thing I asked was “Am I going to die?”
“Dean had bought Oscar up with him and I remember crying while he was running around, it just seemed so surreal.
‘BOWEL CANCER STIGMA’
“I started chemotherapy and radiotherapy – my rectum was affected and it had already spread to the surrounding lymph nodes but nowhere else and the rest of my bowel wasn’t affected.
“I had surgery to give me a stoma because my anal canal was so scarred from the treatment.
“I’m scanned frequently and have colonoscopies too, to make sure it hasn’t returned but next year I’ll be five years cancer free and officially in remission.
“Having bowel cancer has changed my life and it’ll never ever be the same again.
“I wish I’d made more of the appointments I had with the GP and I wish I hadn’t settled for being palmed off.
“There was a discrimination – I was constantly told I was too young but they were wrong.
“The Hollyoaks storyline is so important in raising awareness of bowel cancer.
“It’s something not enough people know about and people are embarrassed to talk to their doctor about it – I know I was.
“I hated having my smear tests done and I know there’s a stigma around bowel cancer so the more people can learn about it – whether that’s through stories in newspapers or plot lines on soaps the better.
“I’m fortunate I was able to recover from it, I know not everyone is.”
‘I LOST PINT OF BLOOD ON THE LOO’
ANDREA, 43, from Basingstoke, Hants, was diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer in November 2016.
Having been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, doctors told the executive assistant her symptoms were down to flare-ups. She says:
“I look back at pictures from when I was poorly, before I was diagnosed, and I have sick eyes.
“I looked really ill and I remember feeling constantly exhausted. I’d take myself off to the toilet during work just to sit down and have a rest.
“I went to the GP and was told it was flare ups but one weekend I went to the toilet and lost around a pint of blood.
“I went straight to A&E and was given a colonoscopy and had a biopsy.
“I was kept in hospital and three days later, I was told I had bowel cancer.
“I remember the doctor and nurse coming in and the nurse picking up some tissues that were in the room which was a sign it was bad news.
“The doctor told me it ‘wasn’t good news’ before saying I had cancer.
“It felt so surreal, like I was looking down on myself being given the news.
‘NOT SEXY’
“The doctor was optimistic they could treat it with surgery and he explained I’d have chemotherapy afterwards.
“I was told I’d need a stoma which felt really upsetting but I knew it was a necessity.
“My treatment wasn’t plain sailing, I had a lot of hospital admissions and I had stoma related blockages which meant I was in and out of hospital a lot but I’m cancer free now and while I’ll have my stoma forever, I’m now grateful for it because I’m still here.
“Stomas are a life changer and a life-saver so they’re difficult because you’re thankful for it but you don’t want it at the same time.
“Mercedes’ storyline in Hollyoaks is wonderful.
“Bowel cancer isn’t a sexy cancer but the fact it’s affecting a young, glamorous, sexy woman on a TV show is a really important message because it can affect anyone.
“People don’t like talking about poos and bums, they’re a taboo subject and like Dame Debs said, bowel cancer is the brown cancer.
“Looking back I knew something was wrong so I’d urge anyone reading this to get to know your body and your stools.
“Know what’s normal for you and don’t settle for being fobbed off if you’re not happy with what you’re being told. Your life could depend on it.”
7 bowel cancer symptoms to look out for
REMEMBER – the earlier bowel cancer is caught, the more treatable it is likely to be.
Symptoms to look out for include:
- Bleeding from your bottom.
- Blood in your poo.
- A change in your pooing habits.
- You might be going more or less often, or have diarrhoea or constipation that might come and go.
- Losing weight but you’re not sure why.
- Feeling very tired all the time but you’re not sure why.
- A pain or lump in your tummy.
Having these symptoms doesn’t always mean you have bowel cancer. But it is still very important to find out what is causing them.
To find out more visit bowelcanceruk.org.uk.