A sports-mad father-of-two is urging young people with unusual tiredness to visit their GP — after his doctor dismissed his bowel cancer as an iron deficiency.
Andrew Walker, 31, from Yorkshire, was diagnosed with the deadly disease earlier this year following weeks of disabling exhaustion.
As well as the tiredness, the keen rugby player found his body struggled to recover from injuries, like wound injections and lung punctures.
However, a GP said he was likely suffering anaemia; a condition where a lack of iron in the body leads to a reduction in the number of red blood cell needed for energy.
When the symptoms continued, doctors suggested the civil engineer do a stool sample — and detected traces of blood in the specimen.
He was sent for further tests in hospital which eventually flagged bowel cancer, a condition that’s rising at an alarming rate in those under 50.
Andrew Walker is a keen rugby player and healthy father-of-two. Yet aged 31 he was diagnosed with bowel cancer, despite suffering no gut problems.
The rugby captain then underwent surgery to have half of his bowel removed, as well as the nearby lymph nodes, in case the cancer had spread.
He is currently waiting on test results which will determine if he needs more treatment.
While only five per cent diagnosed with bowel cancer in the UK are under 50, cases in young people are on the rise.
Between the early 1990s and 2018, the number of adults aged 25 to 49 being diagnosed has risen by 22 per cent in Britain, according to Cancer Research figures.
Experts aren’t yet sure exactly why, however some suggest the increase may be due to the rising popularity of ultra-processed food.
Speaking of his shock diagnosis, Andrew, who plays for Bradford Dudley Hill RLFC in West Yorkshire, said he ‘couldn’t process’ the news.
‘I was expecting to go for a scan, have some samples taken and go home. I didn’t expect it to turn into a whirlwind.’
Andrew has two sons with wife Becki, and says his diagnosis has changed the life of his family as well as his teammates.
Andrew started feeling tired earlier this year and thought it odd that rugby injuries he’d usually recovery quickly from, like a blow to the eye, took a while to heal.
Andrew then cut his finger and it got infected, which meant he had to spend 11 nights in hospital and have four surgeries as doctors couldn’t appear to get on top of the bacteria.
Although the ‘random injuries’ weren’t linked to his bowel cancer, he says his body ‘couldn’t deal’ with recovering, because it was fighting the disease.
‘I just put everything down to having a busy lifestyle and being tired,’ he said. ‘I also put it down to being a little bit older.’
Soon after the diagnosis, Andrew was forced to tell his teammates, which he says was one of the ‘hardest conversations’ he has ever had.
Andrew is currently awaiting to find out if he needs further treatment having had half his bowel and lymph nodes removed.
When he was first delivered the devastating news, Andrew said he struggled to process it and asked the specialist if he could ‘come back later’.
‘I’ve known some of the lads for years and they were all so shocked and distraught by it.
‘It affected them a lot, a bit like how it has affected my family. We are such a close knit team and are like a family.’
Bradford Dudley Hill RLFC are organising a charity tournament for Andrew on September 27.
Andrew, who is married to Becki, 42, is encouraging people who have symptoms to get checked out as early as they possibly can.
He said: ‘I would say go and get checked, if you are unsure then a blood test. It takes a minute and that can spot early signs.
‘It’s not just the affect it will have on you, it’s also the affect on your family and your friends.
‘If they catch cancer early, then it’s treatable.
‘Even if I get the all-clear, then it’s not the end of it because you have five years minimum of tests.
‘It’s good because they are keeping an eye on you, but it takes it out of you.
‘There is a longer lasting affect.’
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