A big thank you to Emily and her mum Anne for helping us raise awareness of bowel cancer on Adelaide’s 9 News last night.

Emily bravely spoke about the shock she was faced with after a colonoscopy to test celiac disease revealed she had a pre-cancerous growth in her bowel.

At only 20 years old the news came as a surprise to Emily and her family. Emily’s doctor told her she would’ve had bowel cancer by the time she was in her mid 20’s.

Luckily, the growth has been removed and Emily will now need regular colonoscopies to prevent bowel cancer, as will her family.

Bowel cancer is more common in people aged over 50, however we are seeing more and more cases in young people.

The symptoms of bowel cancer are similar to those of many common bowel problems so if symptoms persist it’s important to investigate further, no matter what your age.

You can watch the story here.