Samantha grateful after ‘second chance’ with life

Samantha grateful after ‘second chance’ with life

9 April 2025

A LOCAL health worker, who said she has been given a “second chance” after being diagnosed with bowel cancer, is encouraging people to contact their doctor if they suspect something isn’t right.

Samantha Higginson is a domicilary care worker at the Downshire Hospital in Downpatrick who was diagnosed with stage one bowel cancer and is now in recovery.

April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month and Samantha, who is now back at work, is highlighting the importance of early detection.

She is grateful for medical staff at the Ulster Hospital and its Macmillan cancer unit and is taking to the skies in August to raise money for them.

Samantha is taking part in a 10,000 foot skydive and while has set herself a £500 target, she has so far almost doubled that with the current total £900.

“Macmillan gives people with cancer everything they’ve got. If you are diagnosed, your worries are Macmillan’s worries,” said Samantha, who is preparing for the August fundraiser.

Ans she said jumping out of a plane is nothing compared to what she has been through Samantha has gone public with her story to stress to others how the earlier the illness is caught, the more treatable it is likely to be.

Statistics show how more than nine in ten people survive bowel cancer when it is diagnosed at its earliest stage.

Samantha received her diagnosis in the run up to Christmas last year and had been experiencing symptoms of feeling tired all the time and had noticed blood in her stool. 

“I had missed a colonoscopy appointment and had all good intentions of rescheduling, which, with the routine of work and home, I never got to do,” she revealed.

“The doctor at the time gave me a faecal immunochemical test (FIT) that can test for tiny, minuscule hidden traces of blood in the stool which can be signs of cancer or bowel polyps. I was sent to get my bloods done and I went on with life and with my routine.

The blood tests revealed Samantha’s iron was slightly low and the FIT test had shown up blood in the stool and she was “red flagged” to the Ulster Hospital.

“I had the colonoscopy at the Ulster which was very straight forward. The staff were really helpful in terms of explaining what was going to happen and how if a polyp was found, depending on its size, it could be removed on the same day,” she continued.

“I was told that if I didn’t hear anything back from the team then the results were fine but if I was contacted, I would need to come in to discuss my results.”

Samantha was contacted towards the end of last December with her tests revealing stage one bowel cancer. 

“I was given two options, either to keep a close eye on my symptoms over the next year or to have part of the bowel removed. I thought it was in my best interest to have that part of my bowel removed,” she revealed.

Samantha had surgery on January 10 and it went really well. 

She has thanked her consultant surgeon, Dr Liam Convie and his team and colorectal Macmillan nurse Sarah Christie. 

“All the doctors and nurses on the ward, from the catering to cleaning staff, the work that they all do is impeccable. To them, the staff, it’s just part of their job to carry out the surgery, but to me, they are life savers. They are angels in disguise,” 

Having been given the all clear at the start of February, Samantha returned to work after a recovery period of eight weeks and said she “feels great now and is getting there.”

She is encouraging people who has or is noticing any changes with their health in terms of  a change in bowel habits, constipation, diarrhoea, the feeling of not completely emptying your bowel, blood in the stool, weight loss or extreme fatigue is to contact their GP.

She added: “Do not put off making the appointment, go see your doctor.”

“I have had quite a scare and I feel like I have been given a second chance. If you are ever invited to attend a bowel screening test, go to it, do not ignore it. Doctors are there and they carry out the tests and surgery every day.

“Screening can help beat bowel cancer. When you are invited, don’t ignore it.”