'I thought my symptoms were from a burger, but it was a tumour'

'I thought my symptoms were from a burger, but it was a tumour'Kerry was reassured that there was nothing wrongCommentsNewsNeil Shaw Assistant Editor (Money and Lifestyle)08:33, 15 Apr 2026View 4 ImagesKerry Hatrill thought warnings signs were from a dodgy burgerA mum who thought her symptoms were down to having a 'dodgy burger' and was reassured by her GP later thought the signs were from perimenopause - until she was diagnosed with cancer. Kerry Hatrill noticed mucus and faint pink streaks when wiping after going to the toilet and after visiting her GP and providing a stool sample, results came back normal.‌Over the following weeks, Kerry, 49, began experiencing persistent bloating, changes in her bowel habits, and an increased urgency to go to the toilet. Despite the changes, Kerry says she attributed many of the symptoms to perimenopause or simply getting older.‌“My stools became pencil thin, and I often felt the urge to go but couldn’t,” said Kerry, from Bromley, Greater London. “I also had sharp pain in my rectal area a couple of times a month and was dealing with extreme fatigue. When I noticed mucus and pink streaks after wiping one evening, I assumed I’d eaten something dodgy the night before.‌View 4 ImagesKerry thought it might be her age“I’d had a takeaway burger and chips. Looking back, I'd also been brushing off my symptoms as being related to perimenopause, my menstrual cycle, or simply age-related changes.”It wasn't until she experienced a significant episode of bleeding in April 2024 that she returned to her doctor. Further tests, revealed she had anaemia. She was urgently referred for a colonoscopy.‌During the procedure, doctors discovered a tumour in her rectum, roughly the size of a small orange. A month later, she received the official diagnosis – stage three rectal cancer. The customer service assistant said: “I’d already been given an indication it could be cancer, so when I received the official diagnosis, I felt...