Following months of modest but persistent symptoms, a 31-year-old father of three is asking others to pay attention to subtle signals of colon cancer.

In August 2024, Chris Kirt, a UK software developer, started having stomach cramps and alterations in his bowel habits. He put off getting medical help at first, dismissing the symptoms as ordinary intestinal problems. But one strange ailment finally made him take action.

“The biggest red flag for me was passing blood with zero pain,” Chris told his 12,300 TIKTOK followers. “That scared me more than anything. I knew in my heart something wasn’t right, it felt serious.”

Bowel cancer can appear with painless bleeding, despite the fact that many people link blood in the stool to painful illnesses like anal fissures. The NHS STATES that black or dark red blood in the stool, especially if there is no discomfort, may be an indication of malignancy.