Bowel Cancer Awareness Month
April 2024
April each year sees Bowel (colon) Cancer Awareness Month. Bowel cancer is one of the most common cancers in the UK.
At Guts UK Charity, we raise vital awareness for bowel cancer. To make much-needed noise for our underfunded and underappreciated guts. We also fund vital research into bowel cancer treatments.
Almost 9 out of 10 people in the UK are diagnosed with bowel cancer over the age of 60. Bowel cancer develops from polyps (tiny bumps of cells inside the bowel). Most polyps remain benign (not cancerous), but about 1 in 10 will turn into cancer. If it is caught in the early stages, there is a greater than 90% chance of a cure.
Why is awareness of bowel cancer so important?
Knowing your normal and when to seek help is always important. Raising vital bowel cancer awareness leads to the nation being better educated on bowel cancer and the signs and symptoms to look out for. Seeing as there is a greater than 90% chance of a cure, if caught early enough, the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer are more than worth being aware of.
Too many people suffer in silence with their symptoms. We must raise public awareness and help the UK get to grips with their guts, person by person, toilet visit by toilet visit.
Guts UK is committed to:
- Raising awareness of the symptoms of bowel cancer, empowering people to stop suffering in silence and reach for help sooner.
- Funding life-saving research into bowel cancer, working towards better treatments and a better future for those affected.
- Providing expert information on bowel cancer to patients and families. Knowledge is power. We help to get information into their hands when they need it most.
The importance of checking your poo
Always remember, a new, prolonged change in your bowel habit that has lasted for 4 weeks or more should always be discussed with your doctor.
Not sure where to start when it comes to checking your poo? Guts UK charity’s Poo-Torial will guide you through the colour, consistency and frequency of your poo.
Why is research into bowel cancer so important?
Guts UK is proud to fund Professor Colin Rees’ COLO-COHORT study.
COLO-COHORT is developing a risk stratification tool to determine who is at highest risk of developing polyps or bowel cancer. This can be used in the future to work out who needs to be referred for investigation. We can target people who are at higher risk and therefore, diagnose people earlier and give them the the best chance of survival.
HOW CAN I HELP?
You can help us raise awareness of bowel cancer by:
- Following us on social media and sharing our awareness and information posts during the week itself. You never know who we might reach and help together. Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter/X.
- Share your own experience, or a loved ones experience with bowel cancer to your own circles, and on your own social media channels. You can even get in touch with us via e-mail if you’d to discuss the possibility of sharing your story: info@gutscharity.org.uk.
- Fundraise for Guts UK Charity to help us abolish the taboos surrounding digestive health, and get to grips with guts. You can fund life-changing research, and empower people to seek help sooner.
- Donate £3 per month to Guts UK Charity. For giving up just one takeout drink per month, you can change and save lives.
