Rad Chat · Naman Julka-Anderson and Jo McNamara

Anal Cancer Series #2: Claire Laverty - Lived Experience of Anal Cancer

March 30, 2026·36 min·3 clips

Claire Laverty saw alarming blood clots from her back passage during a routine toilet visit.

1. Rad Chat, hosted by Namanjorka Anderson and Jo McNamara, presents the second episode in its anal cancer series, featuring patient Claire Laverty from Belfast, Northern Ireland. 2. Claire Laverty is a patient who works in an orthodontic practice near Downpatrick and runs a community women's group; hosts Anderson and McNamara are radiotherapy and oncology healthcare professionals who founded Rad Chat. 3. The episode's core purpose is to give listeners — primarily healthcare professionals — a detailed first-person account of the anal cancer patient journey, including diagnosis delays, treatment side effects, and late effects that are rarely discussed openly. 4. Claire noticed significant rectal bleeding with clots in March 2024 while urinating before a walk; she photographed it at her mother's suggestion and saw her GP two days later. 5. The GP reviewed the photograph, noted nothing was palpable on examination, and provisionally attributed the bleeding to hemorrhoids, ordering a FIT test result of approximately 170. 6. One week later Claire developed pronounced anal inflammation and detected a palpable lump herself, which the GP confirmed was not present the previous week and which prompted an urgent colonoscopy referral. 7. During the colonoscopy, the endoscopist nearly completed the procedure without locating the tumor; Claire spoke up and insisted the scope be turned toward the anal area, where the lump was found and biopsied. 8. Biopsy results took approximately five weeks due to a new hospital computer system in Northern Ireland requiring paper results to be manually entered; Claire received the call to come in immediately at 25 minutes' notice. 9. A consultant diagnosed stage 2 anal cancer with no lymph node involvement and no metastatic spread; Claire was referred to Belfast City Hospital, the only facility in the area treating anal cancer. 10. The process from diagnosis to starting treatment took approximately three months, during which Claire was left on statutory sick pay and described the uncertainty of not knowing when treatment would begin as psychologically very difficult. 11. Treatment consisted of 20 radiotherapy sessions, oral chemotherapy tablets (capecitabine-style), and a chemotherapy IV infusion on the first day; the tablets caused severe nausea requiring two anti-emetics simultaneously. 12. Skin breakdown occurred toward the end of treatment, particularly in the anal region; Claire used Flaminal Forte gel three times daily from day one throughout treatment, which she credits with achieving better skin outcomes than many peers. 13. During week four post-treatment, while watching her daughter's swimming lesson, Claire felt extremely unwell; that night the tumor visibly passed in the toilet, a possible sign of tumor response that the radiotherapy nurse had mentioned was possible. 14. Late effects include persistent constipation with a heavy pressure sensation, ongoing skin fragility in the anal region, and early menopause; Claire was 40 at diagnosis and is now 42. 15. HRT initially worsened Claire's symptoms due to radiation-sensitized skin causing bleeding from estrogen exposure; an oncology gynecologist subsequently stabilized her condition. 16. Radiotherapy caused a tightening effect in the pelvic area that has impacted sexual activity; Claire received dilators on her last day of treatment with only a brief 10-minute explanation of how to use them. 17. Anderson and McNamara note that Claire's experience highlights a systematic missed opportunity for prehabilitation during the 10-week pre-treatment waiting period, including nutrition, hydration, skin preparation, and physical activity counseling. 18. The episode is structured as a warm, conversational interview with clinically informed follow-up questions from the hosts, who regularly add professional context to Claire's patient narrative. 19. Healthcare professionals working in oncology, radiotherapy, or primary care who want a detailed patient perspective on anal cancer diagnosis and treatment would find this episode directly relevant. 20. Listeners seeking a general cancer overview without clinical detail or those uncomfortable with explicit discussion of pelvic late effects and sexual health impacts may find this episode too specific.

As heard by us

A humane case for earlier support with movement and nutrition while treatment is still pending.

Claire Laverty's conversation on Rad Chat offers a patient-led account of anal cancer that stays grounded in the small, practical questions that shape care: withdrawing from routine, uncertainty about exercise and diet, and what to do while waiting for treatment.

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Why you'd press play

If you want a calm, human account of anal cancer with real-world questions about what to do next.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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