Patient Stories & Blog

We are very grateful to everyone who has shared their story with us on this website. We know that many people find reading the story of other patients very helpful when trying to make sense of their diagnosis or cancer journey. We also know that these stories can be very powerful in helping to raise awareness of bladder cancer and highlight the urgent need for new treatments, research and support for those with bladder cancer.

If you would like to tell your story please do get in touch with us by email at group@actionbladdercanceruk.org  

We can arrange for one of our Patient Support Officers to get in touch to help you tell your story, if that would be helpful, and we also have a 'hints and tips' sheet to give you more ideas about what to write.

• James's Story James was diagnosed at the age of 29 with CIS and multiple T1 tumours - following the initial TURBT, he underwent intravesical chemotherapy with Mitomycin C (electrically stimulated), he has had several recurrences and had a further round of chemotherapy in 2024...
• Dan's Story Daniel Hawkins was diagnosed in 2019 with pT2 N1 urachal adenocarcinoma of the bladder - a rare form of bladder cancer, at the age of 31...
• Alan's Story My Journey with Bladder Cancer by Alan Smith My first encounter with bladder cancer occurred in the late 1970's when my mother was diagnosed with the disease...
• Ian's Story Ian, 78, was diagnosed with G3T1 non muscle invasive cancer in 2021, and has undergone BCG treatment...
• Graham's Story Graham was diagnosed in 2020 aged 68 with a non-invasive, but aggressive, form of Carcinoma in situ (CIS) I am 70 years old (born 1952) and a retired Chartered Building and Civil Engineering Surveyor...
• Scott's story My Story, by Scott, aged 40 - NMIBC grade 3pTa later upgraded to NMIBC CIS If you are reading this I thank you for taking the time to have an interest in my story...
• Kate's Story Kate was 65 when she first spotted blood in her urine...
• Nikki's Story Nikki was 50 years old when she was diagnosed with muscle invasive bladder cancer in 2017...
• Diane's Story Diane was 59 when she was diagnosed with grade 2, pTa non muscle invasive bladder cancer...
• Caroline's Story Caroline Raw, 51, was diagnosed with bladder cancer after noticing small amounts of blood in her urine...
• Nick's Story Nick was diagnosed in 2015, at the age of 43, with Stage 1/grade 3 non-muscle invasive bladder cancer...
• Danielle's Story Danielle discovered she had bladder cancer and had two tumours removed when she was 27 weeks pregnant...
• Robin's Story Robin was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2013, and had a radical cystectomy and a neo bladder in early 2014...
• Dick's story I am 71 years old, married and living in Wiltshire in the UK...
• Russell's story I was diagnosed with cancer back in April 2011, but had signs of a problem about six months before that...
• Phil's story  PERSONAL STORY – PHIL KELLYLet’s start with the good news first – I have recently passed the important cancer survival timescale of 5 years post initial diagnosis...
• Allen's story I am a survivor...
• John's story John wrote this online blog about his personal experience of bladder cancer...
• David's story In my case I was first diagnosed with bladder cancer in April 2001...
• Dino's story My story is a little bit different because I was diagnosed with bladder cancer at a younger age than most, just before my 41st birthday, but my problems began when I was only 15...
• Neil's story My name is Neil and I am 40 years old, married with two fabulous kids...
• Don's story My Story, by Don, aged 70...
• Deb's story Deb was diagnosed with G2 pTa bladder cancer in 2012, and subsequently Carcinoma in Situ (CIS)...
• Chris's story I have not found my condition easy to talk to about, mainly because I'm a private person and very conscious of other people knowing my business...
• Tony's story ABC UK Trustee until 2014, Canterbury My home is near Canterbury and I am now in my 70s and can look back on a life full of interesting things, some good, some not so good...