Jon Imondi, 43, from Worcester, felt unhappy and unfulfilled working from home after the pandemic – but his health was suffering too, and he now encourages others to get checked
A British IT engineer who felt something was amiss in his personal life was eventually diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer.
Jon Imondi, 43, experienced a decline in his wellbeing while working from home after the pandemic, noticing several health issues.He shared his experience with SurreyLive, saying: “There was probably about eight months of strange things happening.”
He also recalled dismissing early warning signs, adding: “I actually think 18 months or two years before that I found some blood in the toilet but I pretty much dismissed it stupidly. Then eight months before my diagnosis I had Covid and I was having really bad night sweats and waking up soaking wet.
“I kept getting up to pee – my immune system was just about shot. I was tired all the time. And literally about six weeks before my diagnosis I had a chest infection and also developed a shingles rash on my back.”
Despite these symptoms, Jon didn’t initially suspect cancer, attributing his condition to stress and dissatisfaction with life and work. However, a GP visit and subsequent tests revealed blood in his stool samples, leading to a colonoscopy.
Jon admitted: “No, not at all (did he consider cancer). Stupidly I actually dismissed a lot of it to stress and just being unhappy in life and struggling in my work.”
The colonoscopy couldn’t be completed due to a tumour blocking the camera’s path, which was later confirmed to be cancerous. Diagnosed in December 2022, Jon, from Worcester, considers himself “extremely lucky” with the timing of his diagnosis.
Doctors were concerned that his tumour was on the brink of breaking free from his colon and spreading to his liver, potentially leading to a stage-four diagnosis. The cancer survivor underwent keyhole surgery to remove the tumour and part of his colon, and the surgeon recommended six months of chemotherapy.
However, he felt this wasn’t the right path for him and chose an alternative route.
He shared: “I sold my car and lived off fruit and vegetables for six months. I got a pushbike and walked everywhere and went back to therapy and really took care of myself.
“I truly felt amazing and looked amazing. I think people were shocked when they saw me a couple of months after. I think they assumed I would be walking around carrying a drip looking ashen.”
Jon also found out he has Lynch syndrome, a genetic disorder that increases cancer risk.
He now discusses cancer on his YouTube channel and is training to become a therapist. Reflecting on life two years post-diagnosis, Jon, who is developing a business to support individuals with developmental trauma, remarked: “Life looks good and I generally stick to a really healthy diet.”
“I eat well and I still make sure I walk once or twice a day for a minimum of 30 minutes at a time and I do have a car again and feel good.”
He offered a straightforward piece of advice for anyone with symptoms, saying: “That one’s simple – just get yourself checked out because it really is not worth the risk. I was extremely lucky with my timing.
“I could’ve been stage four and that’s a whole different story.”
The NHS urges those who have had bowel cancer symptoms persisting for more than three weeks to consult a GP.
They also stress the importance of not feeling embarrassed about discussing symptoms, reminding that healthcare professionals are well-versed in such conversations.
According to the NHS, key symptoms include:
- changes in bowel habits like unusual soft stools
- diarrhoea or constipation
- altered frequency of needing to use the toilet
- blood present in stools which may appear red or black
- bleeding from the bottom
- frequent sensations of needing to defecate despite recent toilet visits
- abdominal pain
- a palpable abdominal lump
- bloating
- unexplained weight loss
- persistent fatigue without obvious cause.