Personal trainer Ivan Corsby initially didn’t take the test as he was ‘fit and healthy’ (Image: BBC)
A fitness instructor has revealed how a straightforward NHS screening potentially saved his life. Ivan Corsby believed he was in excellent health, yet he was unknowingly living with early-stage bowel cancer.
Through a post on social media platform X, the NHS urged the public to utilise their bowel screening kits. This complimentary test is distributed to people aged between 50 and 74.
The procedure involves collecting a small stool sample and posting it for laboratory analysis. Those registered with a GP receive a test automatically, referred to as a faecal immunochemical test (FIT), every two years.
Your first kit arrives at age 50, 52 or 54, depending on your date of birth. The specimen is examined for signs of bowel cancer, Britain’s fourth most prevalent cancer.
It also ranks as the nation’s second deadliest cancer, claiming 17,400 lives annually. The NHS stated on X: « When you get your bowel screening kit, put it by the loo. Don’t put it off. » Alongside the message, the NHS featured a BBC Breakfast segment with Ivan, whose condition was identified solely through completing his screening.
The NHS emphasised: « Ivan shares how the simple test saved his life. » In the interview, Ivan recounted receiving his kit on his 54th birthday.
Yet initially, he dismissed it, assuming it held little significance. Ivan, now 55, recalled: « I got my kit for the last year.
« I think it was my 54th birthday. » He went on: « I’m a personal trainer in the gym. I thought, ‘I’m fit and healthy, I’m exercising all the time,’ you know?
« I literally just chucked it on the side. » However, several months afterwards, Ivan had a conversation with a mate who worked as a cancer nurse within the NHS, who persuaded him to complete the test.
He recalled: « She said, ‘You idiot. That [your fitness] has no bearing on whether or not you can have cancer.’ She said, ‘Do the test tonight and message me when you’ve done it. »
Ivan completed the test, posted it off, and the result came back positive. He subsequently had a colonoscopy followed by an MRI and CT scan, which confirmed he had bowel cancer.
Because the condition was identified « early », he was able to undergo an anterior resection, which removed the afflicted section. This proved successful and, as the cancer hadn’t spread, Ivan didn’t require chemotherapy.
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He added: « So I had a couple of months off work and I’m back to 100 per cent now. »
With regards to the test, the NHS clarifies on its website: « Bowel cancer screening uses a test called a faecal immunochemical test (FIT) to look for blood in a sample of your poo. This could be a sign of bowel cancer.
« You collect the sample at home and send it by post to be tested. It can help find cancer early, and before you have any symptoms, which may mean it’s easier to treat. »
If you believe you qualify for bowel cancer screening but haven’t received an invitation or your testing kit, contact the bowel cancer screening helpline on 0800 707 6060.
Symptoms of bowel cancer
The NHS outlines the primary symptoms of bowel cancer as:
- Alterations in your bowel movements, including unusually softer stools, diarrhoea or constipation
- Requiring to use the toilet more or less frequently than is typical for you
- Presence of blood in your stools, which might appear red or black
- Rectal bleeding
- Frequently feeling the urge to defecate, even immediately after visiting the toilet
- Abdominal discomfort
- A mass in your abdomen
- Abdominal swelling
- Unintentional weight loss
- Experiencing extreme fatigue or breathlessness – these are indicators of anaemia, which bowel cancer can trigger
Consult your GP if you’ve experienced any bowel cancer symptoms for three weeks or longer.
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