Cancer doesn’t define me, being Karen defines me.

Hi everyone. I am Karen, 52 originally from Birmingham, now living in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.

Could I please share my advanced bowel cancer journey, which now means I have to wear a colostomy bag for life. This weekend celebrating three years of my bowel cancer surgery, with a stoma and wearing a colostomy bag. My cancer went into the nearby lymph nodes and vagina. Previously 7 years ago, I had a full hysterectomy,  because of fibroids and cysts and a benign tumour on my uterus. My body keeps producing tumours, and the doctors don’t know why.

I was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer,  in April 2019. When I was 48 years of age, and halfway through my sociology degree. I had 6 weeks, 5 days a week of radiotherapy. Then surgery, with a stoma, and now wear colostomy bags. A bag for life!  With 6 months of chemotherapy, half of which was done shielding as a clinically extremely vulnerable person, during the first Lockdown. My 50th birthday was spent having chemotherapy on the oncology ward. The nurses signed a birthday card and sang ‘ Happy Birthday ‘ to me around my chemotherapy chair.

My dissertation was written on the chemotherapy ward , and having mobile chemotherapy at home. I graduated in September 2020, BA Hons Sociology, from Coventry University.

I still have cancer inside my rectum that they couldn’t remove, and x2 cancer markings on my liver. Every 3 months I have bloods, every 6 months CT scan, and every year an MRI brain scan.

Two months after ringing ‘ The All Clear Bell ‘  July 2020. I developed a second benign brain tumour, and December 2021, it was diagnosed with an Acoustic Neuroma, which affects my mobility and balance, and hearing. I don’t like noise overload in my ears, with pain and pressure in my head and ears.

I suffer from hypertension and on blood pressure tablets for life. Through chemotherapy I developed septis rash problems, and every so often that rash flares up, and very uncomfortable.

I do charity poster girl work, raising public awareness and fundraising for cancer charities and brain tumour charities and NHS England.

Just like Barbie, through having had bowel cancer surgery, I now have a Barbie Butt, and like Barbie I am living my best glamorous life ever. I just need to find a Ken doll or Action Man.

I have a Facebook blog. Karen’s Cancer Journey, see link. If you want to follow my post cancer journey and benign brain tumour journey, please like and follow me.

https://www.facebook.com/KarenEBucknall/

I do pageants and size plus modelling and the first post bowel cancer, colostomy bag wearer,  benign brain tumour patient, post hysterectomy, and living with hypertension, pageant finalist and size plus model, not in the U.K. but in the world.

I would like to share my inspirational and empowering message with the readers. That there is life after cancer or a benign brain tumour. It is not the end, but only the beginning of a new chapter in your post cancer life. Which can be filled with many adventures, experiences and friendships and travels. I am very proud to be part of the cancer club, and have made many new friends, who have or had cancer.

Having cancer, wearing a colostomy bag, being post hysterectomy and living with benign brain tumours, doesn’t define me, being Karen defines me. I am brave, bright,  bubbly, bold and a beautiful woman. Who was once broken, but now fixed again, God and The Angels superglued me back together again.