A British man who felt he was “heading into a problem” was eventually diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer.
Jon Imondi, 43, experienced a decline in his wellbeing while working from home after the pandemic, noticing his health deteriorating alongside his mood.
In an interview with SurreyLive, the IT engineer shared: “There was probably about eight months of strange things happening.
“I actually think 18 months or two years before that I found some blood in the toilet but I pretty much dismissed it stupidly. Then eight months before my diagnosis I had Covid and I was having really bad night sweats and waking up soaking wet.
“I kept getting up to pee – my immune system was just about shot. I was tired all the time. And literally about six weeks before my diagnosis I had a chest infection and also developed a shingles rash on my back.”
Like many, Jon initially overlooked the symptoms, but a visit to the GP and subsequent tests, including finding blood in his stool samples, led to a colonoscopy being arranged.
When asked if he suspected cancer, Jon said: “No, not at all. Stupidly I actually dismissed a lot of it to stress and just being unhappy in life and struggling in my work.”
However, Jon’s diagnosis came in December 2022 after the colonoscopy could not proceed due to a tumour blocking the camera’s path, which was later confirmed to be cancerous.
Despite the grim diagnosis, Jon, hailing from Worcester, considers himself “extremely lucky” with the timing.
Doctors were alarmed by a man’s tumour that was on the brink of breaking away from his colon, potentially causing cancer to spread into the liver and reach stage-four. The fortunate survivor underwent keyhole surgery to remove the tumour and part of his colon, after which he was recommended a six-month course of chemotherapy by his surgeon.
Jon, however, felt this was not the best path for him and he made a bold decision, saying: “I sold my car and lived off fruit and vegetables for six months. I got a pushbike and walked everywhere and went back to therapy and really took care of myself.
“I truly felt amazing and looked amazing. I think people were shocked when they saw me a couple of months after. I think they assumed I would be walking around carrying a drip looking ashen.”
He further unearthed he had Lynch syndrome, a genetic disorder raising his cancer risks. Now actively speaking about cancer through his YouTube channel and training to become a therapist, Jon is also developing a business to aid individuals with developmental trauma.
Reflecting on life two years post-diagnosis, Jon, who maintains a bustling lifestyle and healthy diet shared: “Life looks good and I generally stick to a really healthy diet.
“I eat well and I still make sure I walk once or twice a day for a minimum of 30 minutes at a time and I do have a car again and feel good.”
He offered a straightforward piece of advice for anyone with symptoms, saying: “That one’s simple – just get yourself checked out because it really is not worth the risk. I was extremely lucky with my timing.
“I could’ve been stage four and that’s a whole different story.”
The NHS urges those who have experienced bowel cancer symptoms for more than three weeks to consult a GP.
They also emphasise the importance of not feeling embarrassed about discussing symptoms, reminding that healthcare professionals are well-versed in these conversations.
According to the NHS, key symptoms include changes in bowel habits such as unusual soft stools, diarrhoea or constipation, altered frequency of bowel movements, blood in the stool which may appear red or black, rectal bleeding, frequent urges to defecate even after going to the toilet, abdominal pain, a palpable abdominal lump, bloating, unexplained weight loss, and persistent fatigue without obvious cause.