Four women—Susan, Lily, Kelly, and Zoe—are sharing their stories after being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, hoping to raise awareness about symptoms often dismissed or misdiagnosed.

**Susan Schmidt**, 47, was diagnosed with incurable bowel cancer. “I didn’t have blood in my stool, no dramatic symptoms—just fatigue, constipation, and pain,” she said. She initially blamed her tiredness on menopause. Susan urges people to break the silence around bowel habits, saying, “That’s the problem with bowel cancer—people don’t raise the alarm.” She now runs a charity, *The Floozie Foundation*, supporting bowel cancer patients.

**Lily Murphy**, diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma at 23, had used sunbeds fewer than ten times. A mole that changed shape was initially dismissed by doctors. After further scans, she learned the cancer had spread. She now advocates for a UK sunbed ban: “Just going on a sunbed for six minutes can change your whole life.”

**Kelly**, a mom of three, was told she was “too young for colon cancer” after reporting blood in her stool. Years later, after severe abdominal pain, she was finally diagnosed—alone and in a new state. “The room just completely went like a funnel,” she said.

**Zoe Gardner-Lawson**, 36, learned she had stage 4 bowel cancer only after a CT scan. Initially misdiagnosed with a UTI, she said: “If my disease was caught earlier, it would’ve been easier to treat.” She’s calling for earlier screening.

All four women stress one message: **don’t ignore your body’s warning signs. Push for answers.**