Nigel Robinson, 57, was diagnosed with stage four colorectal cancer after it spread to his liver and he is now raising awareness about his symptoms
A father was left heartbroken after being diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer before reading online that his chances of survival were slim.
Nigel Robinson, 57, initially dismissed changes in his toilet habits as minor issues. However, after enduring a month of discomfort, his wife’s advice to seek medical attention led to the grim discovery.
The keen cyclist from Derbyshire is now urging others not to ignore similar symptoms. The company director and father-of-three began experiencing health issues three years ago.
He explained: “My symptoms were simply the feeling of a need to go to the toilet a lot. I was feeling like I needed the toilet 10-20 times over a 24 hour period. I didn’t actually go every time, it was the tumour in my colon that was giving me the urge. I also had a bit of weird pain below which I thought could be hemorrhoids.”
Unknown to Nigel at the time, these were common signs of colorectal cancer, which often presents itself with abdominal pain, changes in bowel habits, or altered frequency of toilet visits. The NHS recommends consulting a GP if you have persistent tummy pain for more than three weeks.
In pursuit of answers, Nigel took action following his wife’s suggestion and completed a Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT), which detects blood in stool, ultimately leading to his diagnosis.
After testing positive, he underwent a colonoscopy that was supposed to last 30 minutes but ended up taking 90. Recalling the experience, Nigel told BristolLive: “I actually saw the cancer on the monitor.”
The father was then taken to a private room where he was officially diagnosed with cancer. His first question to his wife was: “Can I still cycle?”
Despite maintaining his sense of humour, things took a turn for the worse when further visits and scans revealed that his cancer had reached stage four, having spread to his liver.
Adding to the heartbreak, Nigel shared: “We walked out of the hospital and I got a text to say my mum had died. So strange really… stage four, 15% chance survival, how do you feel?
“Like it’s a movie, an out of body thing, like you’re watching someone else. Disbelief but it’s real. My real worry was for my wife and children was if I was to die to be honest.”
He continued: “Doctors said of course stage four isn’t great but I was young and fit, had support and it was operable, with chemo too it wasn’t a straight death sentence but it’s a percentage.”
Nigel, who tragically lost both his parents within a year during his battle, underwent both oral and intravenous chemotherapy before having surgery to treat a 1.9mm lesion in his liver. He also suffered pulmonary embolisms in both lungs and an incisional hernia.
Fortunately, his treatment was successful, and he is now clear of colorectal cancer, although he is still navigating a complex process.
Nigel received a concerning call on December 28 informing him that there was an additional 35mm lesion on his liver, suspected to stem from his primary cancer. This came as a precursor to his incisional hernia operation scheduled for January 6.
He is now anxiously awaiting his next assessment in April, hopeful that the lesion will turn out to be benign, allowing him to carry on with his life.
Through setting up a GoFundMe page, Nigel is now actively working to boost awareness for Bowel Cancer UK by participating in Chris Hoy’s Tour de 4 cycling challenge.
Chris aims to use the event to alter perceptions and gather financial support for cancer-related organisations.
Nigel expressed his motivations for joining the cause on his fundraising page: “Unless you’ve been through it I guess you can only try to comprehend what it’s like to be told you have stage four cancer. Your contribution will make an impact on others, whether you donate a lot or a little.”
Extending advice directly to readers, he underlined the importance of getting health checks, saying: “People should get checked, even if they don’t have symptoms. Ironically, I received my NHS test through the post during my treatment. I think they are sent out to over 55s now as standard – but they should be available to anyone.”
You can donate to his GoFundMe page here.
