'Doctors gave me six months to live after saying symptoms were IBS'

A fit and healthy dad was dismissed by medics three times and told he had irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) before being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and given six months to live. Austin Birks, 65, has now undergone 120 rounds of chemotherapy, two major life-saving surgeries - one of which left him “gutted like a fish”, and suffered serious infections including recurring sepsis, severe skin infections and blood poisoning.

But he has outlived the initial prognosis and is passionate about raising awareness of bowel cancer and its symptoms. “My oncologist said to me that I had a 25 percent chance of lasting two years, but I just didn't believe it was me,” Austin says. “I had this strong sense of needing to get through this.

“It will be seven years in September with cancer, and I think one of the key things I've learned is your mental and physical strength are absolutely vital to survive.”

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Austin, works full time as the CEO of a large human resources company, and also as a karate teacher. He’s trained for over 50 years and is a 6 Dan, running his own karate club called Enso Karate Club in Birmingham. Committed to keeping himself in good shape, he was immediately concerned when his bowel habits began to change in 2018. The regularity and appearance of his stool was different, and he also noticed blood when he went to the toilet.

Austin, from Clent in Worcestershire, went to his GP who told him he probably had IBS and recommended some products from the pharmacy. But nothing made any difference so Austin went back only to be dismissed again. When he returned for the third time, a stool sample was taken - only for it to be lost at the hospital.

“By that time, I felt like I was in deep trouble because I'd been losing weight and been feeling a lot of fatigue and those kind of symptoms,” Austin says. “My girlfriend at the time, Yvonne, encouraged me to get a CT scan done quickly.” The private scan revealed a very large tumour in his stomach. Doctors asked him to come in immediately, and he underwent major surgery because the cancer had also burst through the bowel wall.

“The wonderful surgeon managed to get rid of the tumour and did her very best, and then I embarked on a series of chemotherapy treatments,” Austin says. “Within three or four months, much to my amazement and delight, my oncologist, the brilliant Dr Peter Correa, said to me ‘it looks like against all odds, the cancer's gone’.

“As you can imagine, that was fantastic news.”

But only three months later, Austin went back for another PEP scan only to find that actually, the cancer was back with a vengeance - and it had spread. Another surgery was scheduled - but then the Covid pandemic happened, so the night before the operation, Austin was called to say there were no beds for him.

“When the consultant rang me up, he said, ‘I'm sorry - the only way you're going to get this done now is to pay for it privately. It will cost £51,000,” Austin says. “My fantastic family helped me to raise the money in 24 hours, and then I went and had the surgery with two surgeons.

“It took five and a half hours, and when I came around, I remember the one surgeon saying to me, ‘how do you feel?’ I said, ‘a bit sore’, because I’d had about sixty odd stitches. The surgeon said ‘yes, well, you’ve been gutted like a fish! The surgery went well - I'll shake you by the hand.’

“I said we shouldn’t because of Covid, and he joked: ‘I’ve had my hands in your stomach for the last five hours so it won’t make too much of a difference!’”

Austin came home, recovered and started another round of chemotherapy. Amazingly, within a few months, a scan showed the cancer had gone. “The champagne was flying and I thought I was the luckiest man in the world because I’d dodged two large bullets now,” Austin remembers. Devastatingly, three months later, another scan showed that cancer had come back in two places.

He’s now undergone 120 rounds of intensive chemotherapy, as well as radiotherapy - and even had to battle sepsis and blood poisoning at the same time. But despite his ordeal, Austin is determined to remain positive and has even engaged in stand-up comedy three times to raise money for Cancer Research UK to try to see the light in his situation.

Despite his initial misdiagnosis, he can’t speak highly enough of the care he’s had from the NHS since finding out he had cancer. He is also hugely grateful to his family and friends. “I’ve been very fortunate to be surrounded by wonderful people, and when I have dark moments I go back to all those people, their messages, all that care and that love, and it just sustains you,” he says.

“Plus, the National Health Service has been absolutely magnificent, and I can't fault the South Warwickshire University Foundation Trust and the amazing cancer teams at Warwick and Stratford Hospitals.”

Austin channels all his energy into spreading his positive message. He blogs about his experience, returned to teaching karate just six weeks after his first operation, and remains committed to staying active. He’s taking part in the static bike Tour de 4 as hip issues now prevent him from road cycling, while his brother, Chris Birks, 67, a retired RAF group captain and former station commander of RAF Kinloss, takes on a 37-mile challenge in solidarity, all in aid of Cancer Research UK.

“Since I got cancer, I decided I wanted to try and use it as productively as I could,” Austin explains. “I try to make my blogs engaging, entertaining and humorous, but at the same time, I don't sugarcoat cancer either: I write about the good, the bad, and the ugly.

“This has just happened to be my lot in life and I’ve never once had any resentment about it because it doesn't serve any purpose. That would make me negative, and I'm just not that sort of person.”

Austin is also passionate about raising awareness of bowel cancer symptoms and encourages others to seek help as early as they can if they notice any unusual symptoms. “If you’re in any doubt at all, if you think you might have changing bowel habits, then don't keep quiet, don’t be shy and don't be embarrassed, which a lot of people are,” he says.

“As soon as you come out with it and tell the doctor, the quicker the care you can get and the more chance of recovery you have. You know your body, and if things change, and you recognise the symptoms, seek help, be persistent, and if you're unhappy, get a second opinion because the sooner you get identified, then the sooner you get treated.

"Every single doctor and nurse has just been great - I’ve been gobsmacked at the care, the attention and the devotion that I've received from people across the NHS. If you have any worries, see the doctor and let the machinery take over because they're really good and they know what they're doing. You may have one or two negative experiences on the journey, but the quicker you're in that process, the better.”

Austin feels that despite his struggles, he’s also learned valuable lessons. “You change your values quite significantly when you're facing this,” he adds. “What suddenly yesterday was important no longer matters at all. What really matters is those you care for and those who care for you. As a proud dad to a daughter, I need to keep fighting for her as well as her mum, my family and my friends.

“I most certainly will keep true to my mantra of never give up, never give in!”

Donate to Austin and Chris’s fundraiser via https://gofund.me/56331380. You can find his blog at www.thebagforlife.co.uk.