rivers2cross

The basic facts are that bowel cancer is the 2nd biggest cancer killer in the UK, and 42,000 people are diagnosed with it each year, and it claims 16,000 lives. Around 268,000 people in the UK are living with bowel cancer.

If diagnosed early at stage 1, 90% of cases can be treated successfully, whereas the figure falls to just 7% at stage 4. At the moment only 15% of cases are detected at stage 1. It is vital that early diagnosis rates are improved if survival rates are to improve. Whilst it is more common to affect people over 50, it is increasingly affecting younger people. 

The symptoms can include a persistent change in bowel habit, bleeding from the bottom, abdominal pain, a lump in your tummy, and unexplained weight loss and tiredness.

Risk factors include a high intake of saturated fats, processed or red meat. Drinking more than 4 units of alcohol per day, being overweight, and having an immediate relative with bowel cancer all could increase the chances of being affected by it.

To reduce the risk eat or healthy diet with plenty of fruit, regular exercise to reduce weight, cut down on alcohol, and be aware of any change in bowel habits. My mum recognised a change in her bowel habit and when she was sent to have an endoscopy the bowel cancer was discovered. She lived with stage 4  bowel cancer for four and a half years before she died in August 2016.

By raising awareness about bowel cancer we can share the message that bowel cancer, bums and poo are nothing to be embarrassed about, and learning the symptoms and acting on them could save lives.

If just one person gets checked out and has their life saved as a result of this month’s raising awareness then the efforts become so worthwhile.