Many of you reading this, either yourself or someone you know, will have been affected by colorectal cancer. Either directly or indirectly, you will have experience of the presentation of symptoms and the subsequent diagnosis and treatment of a worrying disease. You will know, but many others may not, that despite Bowel Cancer being the second biggest UK’s killer cancer it is eminently treatable and curable, especially when diagnosed at an early stage.
It is vital, then, for the general good that the public become aware of Bowel Cancer symptoms – some of the more common amongst which include:
- Bleeding from the bottom and blood in poo
- Persistent and unexplained change in bowel habit
- Sudden and unexplained weight loss
- Being easily fatigued with no obvious reason or cause
- Pain or a lump in the tummy
April has been set aside nationally to educate the public and raise awareness of these symptoms. Bowel Cancer UK have taken the lead in this and have a variety of educational and awareness programmes set up for April, this link shows their strategy.
For its part C-Side (being representative of Bowel Cancer patients in the Brighton area) felt that there might be more that could be done locally. So, in association with Albion in the Community (AITC), Macmillan Horizon Centre and Bowel Cancer Screening & Colorectal Nurse Specialists from the Royal Sussex University Hospitals, we decided to present a Bowel Cancer Awareness Event here in Brighton. The management from ASDA supermarket in Hollinbury have kindly offered the use of their foyer where we (volunteers and clinical experts) will be on hand to answer questions from the general public on matter related to Bowel Cancer, with the particular objective of educating them in identifying the symptoms listed above, should they ever arise. The event, on Saturday 6th April 2019, will take place from about 10.00 a.m. to 5 p.m.