Cancer Survivors: The Unseen Battle After Treatment

Seven years after being diagnosed with stage 2 bowel cancer at age 39, the author, now cancer-free, continues to grapple with severe treatment complications. Her experience highlights a critical gap in the UK's National Cancer Plan for England, which focuses on improving survival rates but offers scant detail on long-term survivorship. The plan aims for three-quarters of patients to be cancer-free or living well by 2035. It includes investments in early diagnosis and a 'personalized support plan' with a 'named lead' for each patient. However, this approach is criticized for likely relying on overwhelmed third-sector organizations and lacking proactive, specialist support for the ongoing physical and psychological effects of cancer treatment.

The author's own treatment, including HIPEC chemotherapy, led to extensive scar tissue and organ adhesions, requiring major surgery to remove her uterus and ovaries and separate internal organs. This experience underscores the reality that survival is often not the end of the struggle. Many patients require ongoing support for issues like premature menopause, fatigue, lymphedema, and psychological distress. While the plan acknowledges a 'growing challenge' in supporting survivors, critics argue it needs a more robust framework for sustained, multi-specialist care, ensuring survivors not only survive but live well.