AN OLDBURY grandmother who threw two bowel cancer screening kits in the bin beforebr being diagnosed with an advanced form of the disease has welcomed a £5.5 millionbr investment in research.br Karen Stephens says she almost lost her life through ‘pride and embarrassment’ afterbr refusing to visit the doctor with tummy cramps and diarrhoea. She was diagnosed with stagebr three bowel cancer in November 2023 and put on a type of immunotherapy, normally onlybr used for womb cancer.br Now the mum of four, who has 11 grandchildren, has welcomed the announcement of a £5.5br million grant from Cancer Research UK and partners to find kinder, better treatments forbr people living with bowel cancer.