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I Had My Appendix Removed. At My Next Scan, the Room Went Quiet
Newsweek • • health
Key Points:
- Claire Fagan, a 35-year-old from Dublin, initially experienced severe abdominal pain and was misdiagnosed with appendicitis in August 2024, but her symptoms were actually caused by a burst ovarian cyst.
- After ongoing health decline, including weight loss and lethargy, a CT scan revealed a mass near her bowel, and she was later diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer following a biopsy.
- Claire underwent immunotherapy and then a clinical trial with oral medication, showing initial improvement, but her condition worsened in August 2025 due to liver damage from the drugs and cancer progression.
- She is currently on her third round of chemotherapy and emphasizes the importance of advocating for oneself and recognizing unusual symptoms, especially since her cancer symptoms were atypical and not commonly associated with bowel cancer.
- Claire shares her journey publicly to raise awareness about bowel cancer in younger people and the need for timely diagnosis and treatment.
