The founder of the MOBO Awards, Kanya King, has shared two often overlooked symptoms of colon cancer that people should be aware of, as she faces a prognosis of only months to live. Diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer in September, Kanya initially complained of stomach pain, which she assumed was due to food poisoning.
She also experienced extreme fatigue, to the point where climbing stairs became a struggle, but dismissed fears of bowel cancer along with her doctors, as there was no blood present in her stool. Kanya believed the tiredness she began feeling in 2023 was due to the stress of her job and her overactive thyroid.
However, an endocrinologist eventually raised concerns that her fatigue could be indicative of a more serious condition. Speaking to The Times, Kanya said: “I assumed it was the overactive thyroid – and I did get my bowel back on track. There were so many things my symptoms could have been. I never once saw blood.”
Her diagnosis followed an initial bowel cancer test that came back negative.
It was only after taking a faecal immunochemical test (FIT), which is 99 per cent accurate at detecting traces of blood, that the results came back positive. Following a colonoscopy and a scan, doctors discovered a tumour.
Last year, when sharing her story on Instagram, she said: “This diagnosis isn’t the end of my story – it’s a chance to inspire resilience, raise awareness, use this moment to not only fight my own battle but to amplify the message of early detection and the importance of proactively taking charge of your health. If my story can save just one life, then it’s a story worth telling.”
Kanya, who launched the inaugural Music of Black Origin Awards back in 1996, received a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) honour as part of Queen Elizabeth II’s Birthday Honours list in 2018.
The NHS lists potential symptoms of bowel cancer which includes changes in bowel habits, bleeding from the bottom, abdominal pain, bloating, unintended weight loss and unexplained fatigue.
The 2025 MOBO Awards will take place on Tuesday, February 18, 2025 at Utilita Arena in Newcastle, England.