"To say my cancer care team have gone the extra mile would not do them justice"

In April 2011 I was diagnosed with cancer of the rectum. This as can be appreciated turned mine and my families life upside down, my consultant Mr Muhammad, specialist colorectal surgeon from Tameside Hospital provided me with a contact number for him and should I have any worries whatsoever to contact him.

This I did endlessley up until my bowel resection which I had done in June 2011. Mr Muhammad answered every text and phone call I made, this helped immensley to ease my anxiety. The time Mr Muhammad has taken with me has been above and beyond what I would have expected from him, Mr Muhammad has saved my life. I was given an Iliostomy until my bowel healed and after having it reversed in February 2012 I still suffer with leakage from the back passage and pain around the reversal scar. Every time I have raised a query with Mr Muhammad he has added me to his clinic list and reassured me. Likewise his specialist nurse Carol Cunningham and stoma nurse Gill Wood have been equally as brilliant. Again every phone call to either of them they have repsonded to and have given me some great support and advice. To say my care team have gone that extra mile would not do them justice, thay have been fantastic, encouraging and extremley supportive.

I feel that should I have gone private for my care I would not have been treated any better and this would have been an insult to my exceptional team.

Albeit I had a slight hicup at the start straight after my resection where I suffered a perforated bowel, this was identified and repaired by Mr Muhammad and this is not a criticism it was a risk in such a delicate and lengthy operation, whereby Mr Muhammad skillfully joined by bowel with very little to play with which has meant I do not have to have a colostomy bag, so I do not feel that anything could have been done better and I cannot write enough on how good my care has been.

I am due to take part in a mini triathlon and the Manchester 10K coming up in May. Without the support and care from my team I do not think I would be doing so.