A Glasgow woman lost her mum after she didn’t want to talk about her cancer symptoms.

Kasia Pietrzak, 43, is raising awareness about bowel cancer after her mother Krystyna died just two weeks after being diagnosed.

It is the fourth most common cancer in Scotland but curable if diagnosed early. Research shows that more than nine in 10 people survive when it is caught soon, but this drops significantly when diagnosed at the latest stage.

Kasia Pietrzak is speaking out to save other livesKasia Pietrzak is speaking out to save other lives (Image: Sourced)
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The symptoms of bowel cancer can include bleeding from your bottom, a change in your pooing habits, or pain in your stomach.

Those affected might also notice losing weight without trying, or feeling tired all the time.

Kasia explained: “I’m still trying to come to terms with what happened, and the fact she didn’t want to talk about her symptoms before it was too late for us to react and help.

“Her death left me absolutely devastated and helpless. Those feelings led me to the Bowel Cancer UK.

“I wanted to help them continue to support people who have been affected by the disease.”

Kasia has committed to swimming 15km throughout August in memory of her mother Kasia has committed to swimming 15km throughout August in memory of her mother (Image: Sourced)

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Now Kasia has committed to swimming in memory of her mother and to raise funds for charity.

She is channelling her grief by taking part in Bowel Cancer UK’s annual Swim15 challenge to help raise awareness of the disease and its symptoms.

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The funds raised will help stop people dying of bowel cancer by raising awareness of the disease, and funding vital services and lifesaving research.

Kasia said: “I chose to take part in Swim15 because swimming is my passion, and it has given me the means to process my emotions."

She started cold-water swimming last year and is now a part of her local outdoor swimming group.

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“My friend introduced me and I’m forever grateful to her for it,” Kasia said. “The group is made up of fantastic women who are nothing but supportive to me.

“I hope to double the 15km to boost my fundraising even more.

“Scotland has some of the most beautiful wild swimming spots I have ever seen so it’s a joy to take this on.

"I’m never going to get over my mum dying but swimming, particularly cold-water swimming, is like therapy for my grief.”

Luke Squires, Director of Fundraising at Bowel Cancer UK, says: “Someone is diagnosed with bowel cancer every 15 minutes in the UK, but it’s treatable and curable if diagnosed early.

“The funds raised by our Swim15 challenge will help us continue to save lives and improve the quality of life of everyone affected by the disease. We are so grateful to Kasia for taking part in Swim15 and really inspired by her for speaking so openly about her mother’s diagnosis.

“Dive into action this August and join us in helping to create a future where nobody dies of bowel cancer.”

 The symptoms of bowel cancer can include:  

  1.  Bleeding from your bottom.  
  2. Blood in your poo.  
  3. A change in your pooing habits. You might be going more or less often, or have diarrhoea or constipation that might come and go.  
  4. Losing weight but you’re not sure why.  
  5. Feeling very tired all the time but you’re not sure why.  
  6. A pain or lump in your tummy.  

If you have symptoms that suggest you may have bowel cancer, you should see your doctor as soon as possible and ask about an at-home test.