Dad thought he ‘simply had haemorrhoids’ – however is now combating for his life
A man who mistook a more sinister condition for haemorrhoids is now battling for life after a shock diagnosis “turned his life upside down.”
Sebastian Clegg, a barrister who recently moved from Manchester to Northwich, initially “didn’t think too much of it” when he noticed blood in his stools.
However, six months later the dad-of-three was diagnosed with bowel cancer.
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The alarm bells rang for him when the blood became heavy, prompting a GP visit. He pushed for a colonoscopy, which revealed the 55-year-old had a tumour in his bowel.
(Image: Sebastian Clegg)
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, he said: “I thought it was haemorrhoids. It didn’t occur to me I had bowel cancer.”
Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK, according to latest research. Almost 43,000 people are diagnosed with the disease every year, with one in 17 men and one in 20 women being diagnosed during their lifetime.
The dad said he didn’t go to the doctor’s regularly, adding: “I’ve been once or twice in about 20 years.
(Image: Sebastian Clegg)
“It was a huge shock; I had to tell me wife which was obviously difficult.”
Sebastian reached out to The Christie hospital and was placed on a radiotherapy course. He then underwent surgery to remove the rectum before being fitted with a stoma. As the cancer still remained, he began a gruelling chemotherapy treatment.
The lawyer had hoped to return to his job in the summer of 2023, however, another scan revealed the cancer had spread to his lungs, and had become stage 4 and inoperable.
Sebastian said he is remaining positive with the help of The Christie staff, his wife Abigail and their three children Georgina, 23, Edward, 22 and Olivia, 19.
(Image: Sebastian Clegg)
“At the moment, the chemotherapy is working,” he continued. “It’s best to stay hopeful. My oncologist doesn’t like looking too far ahead.
“It turned my life upside down. I have a very supportive family; my wife and kids are great. To start with, I didn’t want to tell anyone about it. I wanted to come to terms with it myself. I’m way beyond that now, it’s how I’m living.
“There are lots of positive sides to it. You meet a lot of fantastic people, particularly at The Christie.
“I get to spend more time with my family. You do the best you can – it’s not all doom and gloom. If you get cancer, don’t panic. I feel quite positive about things and I’m going on making the most of it. I’m enjoying life.”
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