Laura, United Kingdom

I’m Laura MacKenzie, 49, living in Scotland with my husband Iain. I was diagnosed with late-stage, muscle-invasive squamous cell carcinoma bladder cancer in September 2017 after the only clear symptom of passing faeces in my urine. With no time for chemo, I went straight to a rare 12-hour Total Pelvic Exenteration, leaving me with two permanent stomas — my “2 bags for life.” Alongside the physical recovery, the emotional impact was my biggest challenge, navigating the enormity of the operation while being thrown overnight into surgical menopause. Throughout it all, the strength of my husband, who was by my side every day, and the unwavering support of family and friends were so important to my recovery. Without surgery, I had only weeks to live. Today, I work full time in a senior role, love travel, cooking and socialising, and advocate to reduce stigma around stomas and raise awareness that bladder cancer isn’t just an “old man’s disease.” Life after cancer is different — but it’s full, meaningful, and something I’m deeply grateful for every day.