With the support of her mother Trudy and expert care from colorectal surgeon Mr Haney Youssef at The Harborne Hospital, part of HCA Healthcare UK, Georgia was able to access expert treatment quickly, undergoing minimally invasive robotic surgery, followed by chemotherapy. Today, Georgia's salon is thriving, and she's become a passionate advocate for young people facing cancer.

Here, Georgia and her mother Trudy share their experience - from initial symptoms that were repeatedly overlooked, to Trudy's determination to secure a diagnosis for her daughter, and Georgia's remarkable resilience throughout treatment and beyond.

When something didn't feel right

Georgia first saw her GP in early October, where despite displaying concerning bowel symptoms she was told there wasn’t anything to be concerned about.  

"I didn't feel like myself, I was feeling sick a lot of the time, had diarrhoea and was feeling a bit off in general but I was mostly worried about the blood in my stool. The doctor told me the blood was likely a tear and that there was nothing wrong - nothing to worry about," Georgia recalls.

When Georgia's symptoms persisted, including the blood in her stool, both her and her mother Trudy became increasingly concerned. They called 111, who advised Georgia to see an emergency doctor the next day. Again, at this appointment she was told there was nothing to worry about.

Expert care and diagnosis at The Harborne Hospital

"I had a feeling it was something serious, and was hoping it wasn't cancer, but my family were a lot more shocked by the results than I was," Georgia reflects.

Following her positive FIT test, Trudy arranged for Georgia to see Mr Haney Youssef, consultant colorectal surgeon at The Harborne Hospital, part of HCA Healthcare UK, who she had heard of through a recommendation from another doctor and a close family friend. "Fortunately, I'd taken out Private Medical Insurance for Georgia when she was 18, so I was able to have her referred to Mr. Youssef, and I truly believe that he has saved her life. He's been magnificent," Trudy says.

A colonoscopy revealed a 50mm tumour, and Mr Youssef immediately arranged CT and MRI scans that same day to see if the cancer had spread outside the bowel wall. "The scans were all done in four hours, which were the longest four hours of our lives. But in other circumstances it could have been days. I cannot tell you the relief when we were told the results - which showed the cancer hadn't spread,” Trudy says. 

Georgia adds "It seems odd because I still had cancer, but we were all screaming and crying because the cancer hadn’t spread. My Mom even high fived Mr. Youssef!" 

Advanced robotic surgery

Mr Youssef removed Georgia's tumour using the da Vinci robot, an advanced surgical system available at The Harborne Hospital. He explains: "The da Vinci robotic system allows us to perform highly precise, minimally invasive surgery with smaller incisions, less scarring, and faster recovery. For someone as young as Georgia, these advantages are significant for her long-term quality of life. Fortunately, at The Harborne Hospital we have both the experienced surgical teams and the advanced technology to offer this level of care."

"My operation was really quick, not even two hours. My recovery was quick too, I was only in hospital for 6 days and my mom was able to stay with me overnight the whole time, including when I was in intensive care,” Georgia says.

Further treatment and difficult decisions

Further test results showed Georgia’s tumour was contained to the bowel wall but had spread to a few nearby lymph nodes. Mr Youssef and the multidisciplinary team recommended chemotherapy. He explains: "We removed the tumour along with over 50 lymph nodes for testing. When cancer cells are present in lymph nodes, there's an increased risk of microscopic disease remaining elsewhere. Chemotherapy significantly reduces this risk, giving Georgia the best possible chance of long-term cure."

"Chemo was really tough. I couldn't touch anything cold at all, and if I breathed in cold air it would feel like swallowing knives and forks and I would have what they call a ‘throat spasm’,” Georgia says. “I also couldn't eat or drink anything cold, so I was drinking about eight cups of tea a day, I've gone off tea completely now."

Before beginning chemotherapy, Georgia faced another difficult conversation, this time about future fertility. It's crucial fertility preservation is discussed early with younger patients who may wish to start a family in the future. Georgia made the decision to have her eggs frozen after her surgery and before beginning chemotherapy. "Thinking about your fertility in this way when you're 20 years old is very traumatic. I'm so very proud of how she handled that, how she handled everything really," her mum Trudy reflects. 

Finding community and connection

During her treatment, Georgia sought out others who could understand what she was going through. Through social media, she connected with other young people who had faced similar diagnoses, including a 23 year old girl who is also from the local area.

"We speak every single day. She had a similar experience as me. She went to her doctor many times too. We're best friends now, we've even had matching tattoos to show our unique bond," Georgia shares. "Since I shared my story on social media, so many other young people have contacted me, saying they have been diagnosed too. There's one girl from my year at school and there's another girl in the year above me, from a school down the road, who contacted me to say she'd just found out she has it too. There seems to be quite a few people my age. We need more awareness amongst young people because a symptom is a symptom no matter what age you are."

Mr Youssef notes, "We're seeing a concerning rise in bowel cancer diagnoses among younger people. Research suggests it may be linked to changes in diet, obesity rates, environmental factors, and possibly the gut microbiome. However, the truth is that we don’t really know for certain why cancer rates are rising in the young. But what's particularly concerning is that symptoms in younger patients like Georgia are overlooked because of their age. Bowel cancer can affect anyone, regardless of age, particularly if there's a family history as was Georgia's case, so it’s important any persistent symptoms are investigated without delay."

Determination and entrepreneurship

Just before her diagnosis, Georgia had purchased her own beauty salon - a dream she'd been working towards. Remarkably, despite undergoing surgery and chemotherapy, she managed to open the salon in January.

Georgia's tenacity and entrepreneurial spirit shone through even during treatment. With support from her boyfriend Isaac and family, what could have been an impossible dream became reality. "It's been hard work but a very good distraction to be honest," Georgia says.

Trudy recalls those challenging months: "When Georgia bought that salon in November, just as this all hit, her boyfriend basically got the salon off the ground. He was incredible. If it wasn't for him, it wouldn't have opened. She was determined to do the launch at the beginning of December for Christmas, so that she could be up and running in January."

But Georgia's achievements didn't stop there. "She's also been a finalist in the Hair and Beauty Awards as well. She's done all this whilst going through what she's gone through," Trudy adds proudly.