London woman’s overlooked “perimenopause” symptoms were stage-three bowel cancer; family now raising awareness

For months, 44-year-old Laura Dawson explained away her growing exhaustion and bloated abdomen as part of perimenopause. It was only after a sudden collapse from severe stomach pain that A&E doctors discovered the real cause: stage-three bowel (colorectal) cancer.

Laura was rushed into emergency surgery, and a biopsy confirmed the disease. She then spent half a year on chemotherapy. According to her husband Ben (49), early follow-up scans looked “encouraging,” and the family dared to hope. In September, however, the couple learned the tumours had returned and spread to other organs.

Facing an aggressive recurrence, Laura chose to stop further treatment two months before her death. She wanted the time she had left to be as comfortable and family-focused as possible rather than spent in more hospital wards.

South-east London’s St Christopher’s Hospice helped Laura remain at home longer, ensuring pain control and round-the-clock support. As her condition declined, she moved into the hospice itself, where she died peacefully on 29 June with Ben at her side.

Ben now speaks publicly about his wife’s story, urging anyone—especially women who think they are “just going through the change”—to push for bowel-cancer screening if symptoms such as fatigue, abdominal swelling, or unexplained pain persist.