A Glasgow mum is urging others not to delay on life-saving health screenings following her own cancer diagnosis.
Jane Short, 52, from Anniesland, is sharing her story during Bowel Cancer Awareness Month in hopes of encouraging others to prioritise bowel screening.
The physiotherapy support worker received her bowel screening kit at 50 but delayed using it.
Just two years later, after experiencing a short period of frequent trips to the toilet and noticing blood, she completed the FIT test in July 2025, leading to the life-changing diagnosis of metastatic bowel cancer.
A colonoscopy at the end of July confirmed that Jane had a tumour in her bowel, and further scans identified six small tumours on her liver.
Jane said: “I hadn’t done my bowel screening when I was 50, and when those symptoms started, I finally did the FIT test and sent it away.
“That started the ball rolling.
“I constantly live with that bit of regret because if I’d done it when I was 50, the chances are the cancer would still have been there, but it probably wouldn’t have become metastatic.
“I had no other symptoms apart from that two-week window.
“I was working, doing yoga, doing Pilates and had no concept that I had metastatic bowel cancer at the time.
“You always think it’s never going to happen to you.”
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Due to the spread of Jane's cancer, surgery was not initially possible.
She was referred for chemotherapy at The Beatson in September, receiving sessions lasting up to eight hours every other Thursday, followed by two days with a chemotherapy pump at home.
Originally scheduled for 12 sessions, her treatment was cut short to eight after a positive response made surgery possible.
In February 2026, Jane underwent major surgery, including a right hemicolectomy, liver resection, gallbladder removal and removal of 13 lymph nodes.
Pathology results showed no cancer in her lymph nodes or gallbladder, and she is now recovering.
During her treatment, Jane accessed services from Beatson Cancer Charity, including their wellbeing centre and wig fitting service.
She said: “The volunteers with the tea trolley were an absolute godsend because my treatment days were so long.
“The wellbeing centre was also a huge support. I underestimated how upsetting hair thinning would be.
“Losing your hair, or having hair that doesn’t feel like yours anymore, is really distressing.
“The wig service was excellent.
“The support made such a difference.”
Jane also found comfort in support for managing the fear of cancer recurring.
She said: “You go through all that treatment because you want rid of cancer, and then you don’t want to spend every day worrying it’s going to come back.
“When I found support for Fear of Recurrence on the Beatson Cancer Charity website, it was really comforting.
“It made me realise this is something other people struggle with too, and there are tools to help you manage that long-term.”
During Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, Jane is encouraging others to complete their screening.
She said: “I can’t even really justify why I didn’t do the test.
“I go for smear tests and mammograms, but for some reason, I put this one off.
“I would say don’t wait for symptoms because they don’t always come.
“Not everybody gets the tick-box symptoms.
“These screening programmes are there to make things easier and to catch things earlier.
“Take the two minutes and do the test.
“The thought of not being here for my daughters and missing the milestones still to come in their lives filled me with absolute despair.
“If sharing my story makes even one person complete their screening, then it’s worth it.”
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A spokesperson for Beatson Cancer Charity said: “Jane’s story is an important reminder of why bowel screening matters.
“Early detection can make a huge difference, and we would encourage everyone eligible for screening to complete their test when it arrives.
“We are proud to support people like Jane throughout treatment and beyond, whether that is through practical support in hospital, wellbeing services or emotional support as people adjust to life after treatment.”
