Bowel Cancer Awareness: Know the Signs - Reduce the Risk

01/04/2008

This April Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is taking the opportunity to raise awareness of a disease that is still too often ignored.

Hospital staff will be joining communities across the county in a focussed drive to inform Gloucestershire residents about the signs and symptoms associated with bowel cancer.

80% of bowel cancers occur in the over 60’s and the programme aims to detect bowel cancer early in people who have no symptoms.

Hospital staff will be providing information about how to get tested and how to reduce the risks of developing bowel cancer.

A bowel cancer screening programme has been run by Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust since January 2007.

Trust Colorectal Team Advanced Nurse Practitioner Michele Silavant is organising the information events across the county. She said:

“Some people find it embarrassing to talk about their bowels, however bowel cancer may be cured if symptoms are spotted early.
“In the vast majority of cases the symptoms aren't caused by bowel cancer but something much more easily treated, such as an inflammation or piles. We hope that by raising awareness throughout the month we will encourage anyone with symptoms to get them checked out.”

Further Information

If you are aged 60 – 69 and registered with a Gloucestershire GP, you will receive a kit in the post at some point over the next two years. If you are 70 or older and want to take part, you can request a screening kit by calling a free phone number - 0800 707 60 60.

Bowel cancer refers to malignant tumours of the lower end of the gastrointestinal tract (further on from the stomach and small intestines). About 80 per cent of bowel cancers occur in the large intestine (known as the colon) and 20 per cent in the rectum, with anal cancer being rare. It's the second most common cause of cancer deaths in the UK. At the moment research suggests that screening for bowel cancer could reduce deaths from the disease by up to 15 per cent.

Event Diary

10th April
Gloucestershire Royal Hospital Atrium 10 - 4pm
16th April
Co-op Coleford 10 -12pm
Co-op Lydney from 2 - 4pm
18th April
Gloucester Eastgate Market 10 - 2pm
25th April
Morrison's, Tewkesbury 10 - 12pm
Tesco (Stratford Road) Stroud 10 - 1pm
28th April
Cheltenham General Hospital West Block Outpatients 9.30 - 1.30pm
30th April
Cheltenham Beechwood Arcade 9.30 - 1.30pm
Tesco, Stow on the Wold 10 – 12pm