Adele Roberts revealed that her stoma bag has ’empowered’ her and that she doesn’t let her colostomy surgery hold her back.
Speaking on Thursday’s episode of Lorraine, the Radio 1 DJ, 42, and her actress and girlfriend Kate Holderness, 38, explained the symptoms that led to her diagnosis.
Adele revealed that she had been diagnosed with bowel cancer in an emotional post in October, but added that she almost missed the signs due to her ‘love of kale’.
Brave: Adele Roberts, 42, said her stoma bag is ’empowering’ as she revealed she almost missed bowel cancer signs on Thursday (Pictured with her partner Kate Holderness, 38)
Adele said: ‘It was stage two and about to be stage three. It was nearly spreading to my liver, but they got it in time. I’m on chemotherapy at the moment and I’m living my life to the full now.
‘I first started to notice mucus when I would go to the toilet, and then it was blood I would notice. I was speaking to Kate about it and at first we thought it was because I eat a lot of kale.
‘I just didn’t have cancer on my radar. I thought it could be IBS, but when it started to get more regular, Kate said you need to call the doctor.’
Strong: She revealed that she had been diagnosed with bowel cancer in an emotional post in October as she underwent surgery to remove the tumour
Diagnosis: A colostomy diverts one end of the colon (part of the bowel) through an opening (stoma) in the tummy. A pouch is placed over the stoma to collect your poo (stools)
Adele underwent colostomy surgery to remove the bowel tumor last year and told her followers at the time that ‘this little stoma bag helped save my life’.
A colostomy diverts one end of the colon (part of the bowel) through an opening (stoma) in the tummy. A pouch is placed over the stoma to collect your poo (stools).
She added: ‘It’s saved me life. I’m so grateful that I got a stoma, it allows my bowel to heal from the surgery.’
Explaining that although the surgery will be reversed eventually, she said that she finds it ’empowering’ to speak about her stoma.
Signs: Of her symptoms she said: ‘I just didn’t have cancer on my radar. I thought it could be IBS, but when it started to get more regular, Kate said you need to call the doctor’
She detailed: ‘It’s saved me life. I’m so grateful that I got a stoma, it allows my bowel to heal from the surgery’
Adele, who enjoys working out, continued: ‘I truly believe my new lifestyle choices have helped me recover quickly from surgery and deal with chemotherapy.’
Earlier this month, Adele showed off her stoma bag as she went to the gym for the first time since having surgery despite being ‘frightened of getting a hernia’.
The Radio 1 DJ, looked sensational as she posed for Instagram snaps flashing her midriff in a grey sports bra and matching leggings.
In the mirror selfies she ‘proudly’ revealed her stoma bag which she has named Audrey.
Staying fit: Adele, who enjoys working out, continued: ‘I truly believe my new lifestyle choices have helped me recover quickly from surgery and deal with chemotherapy’
Inspiring: Earlier this month, Adele showed off her stoma bag as she went to the gym. She penned alongside the post: ‘Today’s FU to cancer… first time in the gym since my surgery’
She penned alongside the post: ‘Today’s FU to cancer… first time in the gym since my surgery.
‘First time in years to be fair but I’ve read how good strength training can be? Especially for runners… so decided to go for it…
‘SO sorry if we were dicking about taking selfies instead of actually doing gym stuff… but to be fair we need a personal trainer because we don’t know wtf we’re doing.’
She added: ‘Really proud of us for going though. Kate hates the gym and I’ve not been with my stoma before.
‘I was frightened I might get a hernia but I think I escaped unscathed.’
THE SYMPTOMS OF BOWEL CANCER, WHICH DEVELOPS FROM POLYPS IN THE COLON AND RECTUM
Bowel, or colorectal, cancer affects the large bowel, which is made up of the colon and rectum.
Such tumours usually develop from pre-cancerous growths, called polyps.
Symptoms include:
- Bleeding from the bottom
- Blood in stools
- A change in bowel habits lasting at least three weeks
- Unexplained weight loss
- Extreme, unexplained tiredness
- Abdominal pain
Most cases have no clear cause, however, people are more at risk if they:
- Are over 50
- Have a family history of the condition
- Have a personal history of polyps in their bowel
- Suffer from inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease
- Lead an unhealthy lifestyle
Treatment usually involves surgery, and chemo- and radiotherapy.
More than nine out of 10 people with stage one bowel cancer survive five years or more after their diagnosis.
This drops significantly if it is diagnosed in later stages.
According to Bowel Cancer UK figures, more than 41,200 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year in the UK.
It affects around 40 per 100,000 adults per year in the US, according to the National Cancer Institute.
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