Woman, 24, diagnosed with colon cancer after ignoring alarming symptom

A woman says she dismissed a sign of colon cancer as a result of another health condition.

Meagan Meadows, 24, a teaching graduate from Temecula, California, began experiencing strange symptoms in October 2024, but believed there had to be another explanation.

After talking to family and friends around her, she concluded that she must be suffering from haemorrhoids, which, according to the NHS, are lumps inside and around your bottom that often go away after a few days.

These little lumps can be painful, itchy, make you feel like you need to poo after already going to the bathroom, and can even produce blood.

However, after a few months, Meagan’s symptoms continued, so she booked an appointment with her primary care physician.

Meagan Meadows was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer (SWNS)

The physician initially ‘wasn't concerned’, but ordered blood work and a CT scan to be on the safe side. When the results came back clear, Meagan was referred to a gastroenterologist who performed a colonoscopy in June 2025.

She was so confident that nothing was wrong that she nearly cancelled her GI appointment, but thankfully, she decided to go.

After initially noting blood in her stool, which she thought was because of haemorrhoids, Meagan chatted with her family and friends about it, who told her that it was ‘nothing to worry about’.

She said: "The only symptom I had was blood in my stool. I didn't have a very good diet at the time, I wasn't drinking enough water - anyone I spoke to told me it was haemorrhoids. I waited it out, but every time I went to the bathroom, it was there."

The results of the colonoscopy left the GI specialist in ‘complete shock’, however, noting Meagan had a large mass detected.

Another CT and blood test were ordered promptly, and within days, the young woman was diagnosed with colon cancer and was told she would need an operation to remove the tumour.

That same month, the mass was removed along with some of her colon and 20 lymph nodes.

She said she initially attributed the blood in her stool to haemorrhoids (SWNS)

Out of 20, seven of the lymph nodes came back cancerous, and Meagan received a further diagnosis of stage three colon cancer.

She said: "My heart sank when they told me that my cancer was stage three. When they said that seven lymph nodes were cancerous, I was floored. I did not expect it to be so extreme. After that, I didn't hear a thing - I shut down.

"I was in complete shock. I had a strong feeling it might be, but I was still really scared and upset. The hardest part about it all was not knowing what was going to happen next.”

Since her diagnosis, Meagan has been undergoing a six-month chemotherapy treatment.

She told Business Insider: "I just thought, I'm only 24, there's no way I have anything going on.

"If I would have known that so many young people were getting diagnosed with colon cancer, I would have taken the symptom more seriously."

Meagan's friend and family have since launched a GoFundMe to help cover medical expenses; you can donate here.

What are the symptoms of bowel cancer?

According to the NHS, bowel cancer can be found anywhere in the large intestine, including the colon and the rectum.

Some of the symptoms of bowel cancer are as follows:

• Changes in your poo, including softer poo, diarrhoea, or unusual constipation
• Tummy pain
• Bleeding from your bottom
• Blood in your stool, which may look black or red
• Bloating

While the NHS acknowledges that these symptoms may not be caused by cancer, it is urged that you see your GP if you've experienced any of these symptoms for three weeks or more.

If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Macmillan’s Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm seven days a week.