Proud Doncaster cancer survivor mum shows off colostomy bag in photo shoot to lift stigma

Businesswoman Lindsay Lambert is backing a Cancer Research UK campaign to help save more lives, as the charity fights back from the impact of the pandemic.

WARNING: STORY AND VIDEO CONTAINS GRAPHIC AND PERSONAL DETAILS

And the 59-year-old has bravely spoken out candidly about her own battle, revealing in personal detail about how her life has changed – but how she refuses to let her bag and ‘Barbie butt’ stop her wearing sexy and fashionable clothes.

When Lindsay heard the words ‘you have cancer’, her life was about to change in ways she could never have imagined.

She has had to adapt to living with a ‘new body’ after being diagnosed with bowel cancer in May 2016.

But, thanks to research into better diagnostics and treatments, she is now celebrating five years clear and wants to pay tribute to the people who supported her through her cancer journey.

To Lindsay, these precious individuals are not only her family, friends and her medical team, but those she doesn’t know in person - the tireless army of fundraisers, volunteers and donors who help to fund lifesaving research.

That’s why she’s highlighting a powerful new short film from Cancer Research UK, which underlines how everyone has a part to play in the fight against the disease.

It features the rallying call to arms: “One in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime*. All of us can support the research that will beat it.”

It’s a sobering statistic, but Lindsay hopes her story will inspire people to make a difference and become a part of the solution to this devastating disease.

Before her diagnosis, Lindsay, was fit, healthy and full of life. She worked long hours at the successful business she owns, the Lindsay Lambert Permanent Makeup Academy in Doncaster, and in her free time loved socialising with friends and long walks in the Dales with husband Kev, 58, and their dog.

In 2016, Lindsay, then 54, was enjoying a two-week dream holiday in the Maldives with Kev. One night after dinner, she started to feel unwell with what she thought was an upset stomach. However, when she went to the toilet, all that came out was blood. But Lindsay thought it might just be piles, so brushed it away and got on with enjoying her holiday.

When Lindsay returned home and went back to work, a colleague noticed her rubbing her tummy in pain.

Lindsay explained: “I told my assistant what had happened on holiday. She was shocked and she insisted that I go see my GP, which fortunately was just next door to my business.

"I had an internal examination and they could feel something lumpy, very low down, just inside my bottom. Within minutes they were on the phone to Doncaster Royal Infirmary to be fast tracked for further investigations.”

Lindsay had several tests over a number of days.

Between having a CT scan and later a colonoscopy, Kev took Lindsay shopping to the York Designer Outlet to try and take her mind of things.

“I suddenly needed the loo and rushed to the toilets, into an end cubicle. But as I sat down, it all came out with such a force I spattered the toilet with bright red blood. It even went up the walls. I was in shock, shaking, but I had to clean it up and myself as best I could.

"I couldn’t let someone go in there after me, it was like a horror movie. Kev took me straight home, we drove all the way back in silence, not able to find the words to say. We both knew things were obviously very serious.”