A woman who attributed her bloating to menopause was given a colon cancer diagnosis after spotting 'speckled blood' in her stool. Natalie Hushin, 54, from Runcorn, Cheshire, first noticed blood in her stool in June 2025, having struggled with constipation.
When the symptoms continued and felt 'weird and unusual,' she sought advice from her GP and was referred for a colonoscopy, which uncovered tumours on her colon. She received her colon cancer diagnosis later that same month.
Surgery and Chemotherapy
On July 18, 2025, Natalie underwent a 10-and-a-half-hour surgical procedure to remove the tumour, followed by six rounds of chemotherapy beginning in September. A PET scan on December 18 revealed a 1cm tumour on the edge of her liver, with medical specialists scheduling a liver ablation to remove it during the second week of February.
However, the planned operation date came and went without the procedure being carried out. By March 2026, an MRI scan indicated the tumour had grown to three and a half centimetres, prompting Natalie to undergo a liver resection to have it removed.
Patient's Experience
Natalie, a former company director, said: 'I am going through menopause at the moment, so I thought my bloating was caused by that. When I would eat, I would get a bit bloated and have a dicky stomach. But I would struggle to go to the toilet, and I noticed speckled blood in my stool. I told my son, and he urged me to go to the doctors to get it checked out.'
She visited her GP, who carried out an examination and referred her for a colonoscopy screening at Halton Hospital, Runcorn, in June 2025. 'Straight away, I knew there was something wrong,' Natalie said. 'After the screening, I was told I had a cancerous tumour. I just broke down. I was in utter disbelief, heartbreak and fear. I was going through every emotion possible - my whole life was flashing before me.'
Treatment Delays
Natalie met with a surgeon at Warrington Hospital, who explained the procedure required to remove the cancerous tumour. The operation took place on July 18, 2025, lasting 10 and a half hours, during which surgeons successfully extracted the tumour and surrounding lymph nodes.
'The surgery went well, they removed the tumour and surrounding lymph nodes,' Natalie said. 'I had a PET scan afterwards that revealed the cancer was on my liver too. I did six rounds of chemotherapy, oral tablets every day and infusions every fortnight for three months.'
The chemotherapy concluded on December 6, 2025, and a fortnight later, Natalie underwent a PET scan. While there was no trace of disease elsewhere in her body, a 1cm tumour was discovered on the edge of her liver. She was urgently referred to a radiologist at Royal Liverpool Hospital, where doctors arranged a liver ablation procedure to tackle the tumour in February.
'I felt like I could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel,' Natalie said. 'They told me I won't need further surgery, and it would be a small procedure to get rid of the tumour in February.' Yet as the date for the procedure came and went, Natalie's anxiety began to mount. She revealed she was subsequently informed that she required an iron infusion prior to the procedure — to boost her iron levels — which was carried out in March 2026.
'This is my life, this isn't getting an order wrong at McDonald's,' Natalie said. 'They have jeopardised the outcome of my life and put it in jeopardy. I was devastated. I was so close to getting over the finishing line and beating this. I should have been in remission, but instead my treatment has been delayed.'
A follow-up MRI scan revealed that the tumour on Natalie's liver had expanded to three and a half centimetres, with doctors advising that surgery would be required to remove it. Natalie said: 'If I had my procedure when I was due, I would be in remission by now. But I am not, and that is because my treatment has been delayed. I am devastated; it is like being told you have cancer all over again. Mentally, I am devastated, especially as I was so close to getting over the finish line.'
Successful Surgery and Ongoing Monitoring
On 22 April 2026, Natalie underwent a liver resection — a surgical procedure to remove part of the liver in order to treat tumours — which proved successful. Despite the positive outcome, Natalie will be required to attend scans every three months for 10 years to keep a close watch on any potential regrowth. She said: 'It is a difficult rollercoaster. I was very fortunate to have very good surgeons on both of my surgeries - I cannot fault them. But this surgery could have been avoided if the ablation had taken place when it was supposed to.'
