'Scary to be diagnosed with cancer as a young mum'

Emma was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2021 when her son Oscar was two

A mother diagnosed with cancer at the age of 28 has spoken about the "scary" experience of thinking she would not see her son grow up.

Emma, from Worcester, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2021 when her son Oscar was two.

"I’m getting told all this news, I’m watching my little boy running around, and I’m just like, 'I’m not going to be here to see him grow up'," she said.

She said she knew how tough things must be for the Princess of Wales, who has three young children and has revealed she is being treated for cancer.

The Princess of Wales spoke publicly about her diagnosis in a video statement last week

Kensington Palace has not disclosed the type of cancer involved.

Emma, a cafe barista, said last week’s news showed how cancer "doesn’t discriminate" and affects people from all parts of society.

She also urged anyone who had concerns to see a doctor.

"You’ve just got to be persistent. I was [like that] with the doctors – I knew something wasn’t right and I just kept going back and back," she said.

After her diagnosis with stage 3 cancer, she had five weeks of combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

In a blog for the charity Bowel Cancer UK, she said the treatment was often hard-going and at times left her extremely tired and nauseous.

However she added that she had great support from her partner and her employer, plus her mother-in-law who helped to look after Oscar every day.

Emma said she is now in good health and her recent scans show her cancer has not returned.

She said she would continue having check-ups and watching out for symptoms.

She also encouraged people who were undergoing cancer treatment to take each day at a time.

"There is a light at the end of that tunnel – and that’s where I’m at now," she said.