Dick Carruthers making cycling up Swain’s Lane look easy

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DICK Carruthers is one of those super-fit humans who does triathlons and has an impressively fast time on the dreaded Swain’s Lane climb cycling challenge.

So when a poo sample collector arrived in the post last June as part of a bowel cancer screening programme he did not rush to send it back.

The test had been sent to all 56–year–olds in Camden as part of a pilot outreach scheme – and it very likely ended up saving the life of the TV and film director, who has worked with some of the world’s best-known musicians and bands.

Mr Carruthers, who lives in Hampstead, said: “You know the type of people to completely ignore this sort of kit that comes through the post, well that is me: guilty as charged. But I was listening to a podcast and I heard someone say check your poo – and so I just thought what the hell, just do it. I do think that there are some fights that you don’t go looking for, they come for you.

“I just happened to turn 56 last year. So they happened to target me. It was all quite random. What I really think is important to let people know is that it is possible to be fit and happy and healthy and getting on with your life and you also have stage 1 or 2 tumour.”

SEE ALSO LINK TO NHS INFORMATION PAGE ON BOWEL CANCER SCREENING

He added: “That’s why if you get sent the test in the post you should just do it. Certainly as soon as you get over 50. And if you are under 50, do it anyway – no GP is going to say no if you ask for it.”

After sending off his sample, Mr Carruthers got a letter calling him in for a colonoscopy at UCH near Warren Street tube station.

He said: “I had zero symptoms, but the colonoscopy immediately revealed something wrong. It was very clearly a tumour even to the untrained eye. Things moved very fast from that point onwards, with CT and MRI scans and a biopsy.

“You get told you might lose erectile function, you might a have problem with your bladder. You have to sign forms and give consent. You put your faith in them basically.

“The speed at which things happened meant that I didn’t get too emotionally carried away. I was deliberately stoic about it all.”

Despite having a stoma bag fitted and having undergone chemo­therapy, Mr Carruthers has continued with his military fitness training and is also a regular swimmer in the Parliament Hill Lido.

He said his overall recovery had been helped by his healthy lifestyle, and added: “It is an enormous car journey, your life. The more you look after tyres and change oil obviously this is going to increase the chances of going longer.”

Mr Carruthers said he was looking forward to restarting some projects he had to put on ice during his chemo, including working with his old friend the singer Michael Bublé.

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