14<\/p>\n Sean Scullion with his wife Tijanna and their son NyjahCredit: Sean Scullion 14<\/p>\n Tijanna, 33, died just four weeks after giving birthCredit: Sean Scullion<\/p>\n \u201cWe were quite nervous about things not going well after losing our daughter Sienna, but we were trying to stay positive,\u201d Sean, 37, tells Sun Health.<\/p>\n And things appeared to be on track. Tijanna, 33, known as Tij to friends, was generally healthy, and thrilled at the thought of becoming a mother.<\/p>\n At 32 weeks, however, on January 22, 2025, everything changed.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cTijanna had been in a lot of pain for two to three days,\u201d Sean, from Manchester<\/a>, says.<\/p>\n READ MORE ON BOWEL CANCER<\/p>\n \u201cIt wasn\u2019t just localised to one area, it was all across her back, so we went to the hospital for checks to see what was going on.\u201d<\/p>\n Thankfully, doctors said the baby \u201cseemed fine\u201d and repeatedly told Sean and Tijanna: \u201cWe can\u2019t see anything wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n The mum-to-be and jewellery shop manager was kept in overnight as a precaution and Sean made his way home at about 11pm.<\/p>\n But just 90 minutes later, he got a call to say his wife had been moved to a delivery suite for an emergency C-section<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI rushed back to the hospital, where I was told they\u2019d found some anomalies in her blood, but they didn\u2019t know what they were,\u201d Sean, who married Tijanna in September 2022, says.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe baby\u2019s heartbeat had also started to slow a bit, so the combination of the two meant they thought the safest thing to do would be to deliver.\u201d<\/p>\n Sun Health Explainer: Bowel Cancer<\/p>\n He anxiously waited in the corridor, where he heard a surgeon say: \u201c33-year-old female, internal bleeding.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI was thinking, \u2018Oh God, that\u2019s my wife,\u2019 so I was obviously quite worried at this point,\u201d Sean adds.<\/p>\n \u201cAbout half an hour later somebody told me the baby had been delivered and seemed to be OK, so that was quite a relief.<\/p>\n \u201cBut when I asked about Tijanna, I was told, \u2018There have been some complications, but we don\u2019t really know any more\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n Their son Nyjah was whisked off to intensive care and Tijanna remained in surgery<\/a> for the next five hours. At about 5.30am, doctors said they needed to speak to Sean.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought she\u2019d died,\u201d he recalls. \u201cI didn\u2019t understand why no one could tell me what was going on, so I asked, \u2018Is she dead?\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cThey replied, \u2018No\u2019, so I thought, \u2018Thank God for that.\u2019 But then they said they\u2019d found internal bleeding.<\/p>\n \u201cThey assumed it was pregnancy related, but they couldn\u2019t find a source so they had to call in different surgeons to work their way up her body to find where the bleeding was.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cEventually, they discovered that her liver was completely covered in tumours, a lot of which were bleeding.<\/p>\n \u201cShe was in so much pain because she was essentially bleeding to death, and she was suffering multiple organ failure.\u201d<\/p>\n My wife was screaming on every exhale, all day and all night, and I was terrified she was going to die that day<\/p>\n Sean Scullion<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Tijanna was diagnosed with bowel cancer<\/a>, which had spread across her liver.\u00a0<\/p>\n One of the specialists managed to remove all of the bleeding tumours, but there were still \u201ca large number\u201d on her liver.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThere was a risk they could start bleeding in the next 24 hours. And if they did, there was very little they could do because they had already removed so much tissue from the liver,\u201d Sean says.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBecause her body was shutting down, she was kept in an induced coma.\u201d<\/p>\n Over the following weeks, her kidneys failed<\/a> and she developed sepsis<\/a> – a life-threatening reaction to an infection.<\/p>\n She also had an electrolyte imbalance, her bowels stopped working and her stomach was no longer absorbing food<\/a>.<\/p>\n 14<\/p>\n Tijanna was diagnosed with bowel cancer which had spread to her liverCredit: Sean Scullion 14<\/p>\n They had a stillbirth in 2023 before falling pregnant again in 2024Credit: Sean Scullion 14<\/p>\n Baby Nyjah was born eight weeks early in January 2025Credit: Sean Scullion 14<\/p>\n Sean says he held Tijanna’s hand as she passed awayCredit: Adrianna Wedding Photography<\/p>\n Sean wanted to be by his wife\u2019s side as much as he could – but he also had a newborn.<\/p>\n As his son Nyjah was born eight weeks early, he was kept in the neonatal unit on ventilation, so he split his time between the two.\u00a0<\/p>\n Eventually, to Sean\u2019s relief, doctors decided to bring Tijanna out of the coma.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know if I\u2019ve watched too many films, but I thought she would just wake up,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n \u201cInstead, it took about four days, and she had what doctors described as \u2018an extreme case of delirium\u2019.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cShe was herself, but it was like she\u2019d lost the context of everything. She recognised me and her family, but she was out of it otherwise.<\/p>\n \u201cShe kept talking about things that weren\u2019t happening, like travel insurance and getting things sorted for a holiday.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cNo one knew what she was talking about but she was adamant, and it took another three to five days for her to return to normal.<\/p>\n \u201cShe still had sepsis, and they kept increasing the strength of her antibiotics until they were the strongest ones they could provide.<\/p>\n \u201cDoctors said, \u2018There\u2019s nowhere to go from here\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n DEVASTATING TWIST<\/p>\n Thankfully, the drugs<\/a> worked, and Tijanna\u2019s sepsis was brought under control.<\/p>\n She was then transferred from intensive care to a cancer<\/a> ward, where she slowly began to regain her strength.\u00a0<\/p>\n Tijanna was doing physiotherapy<\/a> every day and \u201cseemed to be making good progress\u201d.<\/p>\n After about a week, she was told she was ready to start thinking about radiotherapy<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n But a few days later, Sean was advised it was time to move her to end-of-life care as she likely had only a few weeks, possibly months, left.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt was quite bizarre because she had energy and seemed like she was getting better,\u201d Sean says.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cShe was also seeing her son every day; the neonatal nurses did a really great job of memory making sessions, with hand and footprints and stuff like that.\u201d<\/p>\n 14<\/p>\n The couple, from Manchester, met while at university in 2009Credit: Sean Scullion 14<\/p>\n Tijanna worked as a jewellery shop manager in the city centreCredit: Sean Scullion 14<\/p>\n At 32 weeks pregnant, she was suffering with back painCredit: Sean Scullion 14<\/p>\n Doctors initially dismissed it as nothing to worry aboutCredit: Sean Scullion<\/p>\n Then suddenly, another medic looked at Tijanna\u2019s case and revealed she would probably die in the next 36 hours.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe following day she was really unwell, sleeping most of the day,\u201d Sean says.<\/p>\n \u201cBut then she rallied and was full of energy for several days around Valentine\u2019s Day, so we made some nice memories together with our little boy.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cFrom then though, she started to wind down. I understood then that she was going to die, so I wanted it to be as peaceful as possible.<\/p>\n \u201cI had a fold-out bed and was sleeping on the floor next to her, and we had a cot for our son in the room too.\u201d<\/p>\n Close to the end of her life, nurses allegedly \u201clost control\u201d of Tijanna\u2019s pain management<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt was no one\u2019s fault, it was just the process of her dying, but for 18 hours, she was screaming on every exhale, all day and all night, and I was terrified she was going to die that day,\u201d Sean says.<\/p>\n \u201cEventually her screaming started to get lighter, and I just weirdly hoped that she was going to pass away soon because I didn\u2019t want her to be in pain again.\u201d<\/p>\n Tijanna died on February 23, 2025 aged 33.\u00a0<\/p>\n The signs of bowel cancer you need to know – remember BOWEL<\/p>\n There are several possible causes of bleeding from your bottom, of blood in your poo.<\/p>\n Bright red blood could come from swollen blood vessels, haemorrhoids or piles, in your back passage.<\/p>\n Dark red or black blood could come from your bowel or stomach.<\/p>\n Blood in your stools is one of the key signs of bowel cancer, so it\u2019s important to mention it to your doctor so they can investigate.<\/p>\n 2. O: Obvious change in loo habits<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s important to tell your GP if you have noticed any changes in your bowel habits, that lasts three weeks or longer.<\/p>\n It\u2019s especially important if you have also noticed signs of blood in your poo.<\/p>\n You might notice you need to go to the loo more often, you might have looser stools or feel like you\u2019re not going enough or fully emptying your bowels.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t be embarrassed, your GP will have heard a lot worse! Speak up and get it checked.<\/p>\n 3. W: Weight loss<\/strong><\/p>\n This is less common than the other symptoms, but an important one to be aware of. If you\u2019ve lost weight and don\u2019t really know why, it\u2019s worth mentioning to your GP.<\/p>\n You may not feel like eating, feel sick, bloated and not hungry.<\/p>\n 4. E: Extreme tiredness<\/strong><\/p>\n Bowel cancer that causes bleeding can cause a lack of iron in the body \u2013 anaemia. If you develop anaemia you\u2019re likely to feel tired and your skin might look pale.<\/p>\n 5. L: Lump or pain<\/strong><\/p>\n As with lots of other forms of cancer, a lump or pain can be a sign of bowel cancer.<\/p>\n It\u2019s most likely you\u2019ll notice a pain or lump in your stomach or back passage.<\/p>\n See your GP if it doesn\u2019t go away, or if it affects how you eat or sleep<\/p>\n \u201cHer official time of death was 1.10pm, when the doctor confirmed it, but at 11.45am I was feeding our baby and I noticed her breathing was slowing,\u201d Sean says.<\/p>\n \u201cI held her hand, told her that I loved her, and let her go. She passed away peacefully as I\u2019d hoped. I was relieved.\u201d<\/p>\n There were just four weeks between her giving birth<\/a> and passing away – something Sean still struggles to wrap his head around.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe had no idea she was even a little bit sick,\u201d he says. \u201cThere were no symptoms, not a single clue. She was just fine until she wasn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n That said, he says his wife \u201calmost lived like she wasn\u2019t going to live forever\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cIt wasn\u2019t in a reckless way, but she just always wanted to make memories with friends and family, and never wanted to let an opportunity pass to do something nice with the people she cared about most,\u201d Sean, who met Tijanna at Manchester Metropolitan University in September 2009, adds.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI know I\u2019m biased as her husband, but she was the most positive, loving and moral woman. <\/p>\n \u201cShe would hold people to account, but it was always in a selfless, loving way.<\/p>\n \u201cShe was always a ball of energy and she just had such a zest for life.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we met, we had an instant connection and basically moved in together immediately and have barely spent a day apart ever since. <\/p>\n \u201cWe truly were best friends and soul mates.\u201d<\/p>\n We didn\u2019t know you could die of cancer and not even know you had it. I just want people to be aware that this can happen to anyone at any time<\/p>\n Sean Scullion <\/p><\/blockquote>\n Sean, who praised the staff at Manchester Royal Infirmary for being \u201cso incredible\u201d, hopes by sharing his family\u2019s story he might help prevent another going through the same pain.\u00a0<\/p>\n About 44,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with bowel cancer<\/a> every year. More than 16,000 die, according to Cancer Research UK<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n While diagnoses overall are declining, rates are rising in under-50s<\/a>.<\/p>\n Scientists reckon junk food diets<\/a>, a lack of exercise<\/a> and obesity<\/a> are at least partly to blame – though they say more research is needed to understand exactly what\u2019s causing this trend in younger people.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sean is imploring others to be aware of the symptoms<\/a> as early diagnosis saves lives.<\/p>\n The most common signs include:<\/p>\n But some people will have no symptoms at all.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sean says: \u201cI was surprised at how asymptomatic it was in Tijanna.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI just want people to be aware that this can happen to anyone at any time.<\/p>\n \u201cWe didn\u2019t know you could die of cancer and not even know you had it.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIf Tijanna hadn’t been pregnant, doctors wouldn\u2019t have found it and been able to give her those extra weeks.<\/p>\n \u201cShe would have died from internal bleeding and organ failure within a few days, which is crazy. I\u2019m so grateful that we got that extra bit of time.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cEven though I am devastated, there is some solace in that she got to meet our son and create some memories with him as being a mother was her biggest wish in life.<\/p>\n He adds: \u201cTijanna was very healthy. She ate whole foods, she was active, she loved lemon water and green smoothies.<\/p>\n \u201cDoctors are doing tests to see if she had a genetic predisposition, but we won\u2019t get the results for quite a while.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you or somebody you know feels a bit weird, please get checked.\u201d<\/p>\n Tijanna’s best friend Candice Bell has set up a JustGiving<\/a> page to help cover the cost of her funeral and support Sean and little Nyjah. <\/p>\n 14<\/p>\n The couple got married in September 2022Credit: Sean Scullion 14<\/p>\n Sean described his late wife as ‘the most positive, loving and moral woman’Credit: Sean Scullion 14<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/slowly-bleeding-death-doctors-ignored-987911238.jpg\")
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