“I was very lucky. I had no symptoms whatsoever - without the BowelScreen programme it wouldn’t have been found until later,” according to Peter Larner, 65, advocating in recent weeks for those in the age range to take up the invitation to avail of screening. “Only for that, my outcome would have been quite different. I didn’t have any anxiety whatsoever. Everything was done step by step and brought so much comfort, I can’t fault the service that I received.”
Peter lives in Ennis, Co Clare. He leads an active lifestyle, doesn’t drink or smoke and works as a construction manager in the pharmaceutical industry.
He completed his first BowelScreen test at age 60 and his second at 62 – receiving a negative result for both. His third test, taken two years later in 2024 came back ‘positive’ which means blood was found in the small sample of poo Peter provided.
He explains:
“I received a letter from the BowelScreen team letting me know that there was potentially something there and I would have a follow-up test. The letter was written in such a way that I wasn’t alarmed, I felt reassured. The BowelScreen team in Ennis Co Clare, contacted me by phone shortly after I received the letter and put my mind at rest, told me what was likely to happen and that they would take care of everything from there, which is exactly what they did.
“My next test, the colonoscopy, was done on a Saturday approximately 10 days later in St John’s Hospital in Limerick. At that appointment it was obvious that there was something there and my wife and I were told that I would need further tests. That day I was referred for a CT scan of my colon that was carried out 4 days later and to a consultant colorectal surgeon based in UHL Limerick. I met her the following Monday and she already had a date for my surgery three weeks later. Within an 8-day period I’d had the colonoscopy, the CT scan and met the surgeon.
“My cancer was graded as a Stage 2, it was nasty and needed to be dealt with quickly but it hadn’t invaded anything else. It was caught in time and surgery was the option for me. From diagnosis onwards everything fell into place – I didn’t have to do anything. The BowelScreen team contacted me each step of the way which was really reassuring. The whole programme is unbelievably marvellous. The fact that my family saw I was so calm because I was being so well looked after by BowelScreen brought immense relief to them as well. I can’t overstate the superb care and follow up I received.
“That was 18 months ago and I’m cancer free now. I didn’t need any further treatment. I had a stoma for 6 months after surgery, that has been reversed and I haven’t looked back since. I am 18 months into a 5-year surveillance programme and my last CT scan was clear.
“A lot of people of my age group are maybe a bit squeamish about doing the screening test so I’ve told my story about me having no symptoms whatsoever and two previous negative tests where I can. The kit is so simple - it arrived in the post, with very clear instructions, not intrusive at all.
“My wife told a relative the story and they did the test and got a positive result and had polyps removed, which thankfully was done during the colonoscopy. The more I can spread this story hopefully the more people will have the same chance.”