Taking three easy steps that could help to save thousands of lives

NHS Leeds is collaborating with the national charity, Beating Bowel Cancer, to launch the 1,2,3 campaign in GP surgeries across the city to encourage people over 60 to take part in the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme.

The health trust is launching the campaign ahead of Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, in April.

A short film, presented by Dr Chris Steele demonstrates how to complete the screening kit in easy-to-follow steps.

GP surgeries across the city will display the 1,2,3 campaign material.

This will help local people to find out more about how the simple screening process can help save lives by detecting bowel cancer before the symptoms begin.

Mark Flannagan, chief executive of Beating Bowel Cancer, says: “Bowel cancer screening kits are sent free of charge to everyone aged 60-75 in England, but currently only around half are being returned.

“We have launched the 1,2,3 campaign to give people the confidence to complete the screening kit when it arrives on their doorstep. I have no doubt that if everyone took up screening when given the chance, bowel cancer would no longer be the UK’s second biggest cancer killer.”

Dr Simon Balmer, consultant in public health – health protection for NHS Leeds, adds: “We hope that the campaign materials will help to relieve any concerns people may have about screening and encourage everyone eligible to take part – it’s as easy as 1,2,3.”

Bowel cancer is the UK’s second biggest cancer killer because many patients are diagnosed too late. Screening can identify bowel cancer before symptoms begin, often at an early stage when it can be successfully treated.

To date, bowel cancer screening has identified more than 7,000 cancers, and a further 40,000 polyps have been removed, preventing thousands more. However, the current national participation rate is only 54 per cent, considerably lower than those of the best national cancer screening programmes.

For more information, visit www.bowel123.co.uk