This week, 30 community volunteers in Keighley are rallying together to help launch a major new health drive to help save lives from bowel cancer.
Yorkshire Cancer Network and NHS Bradford and Airedale will launch the Be Clear on Cancer campaign – part of a national initiative supported by the Department of Health and Cancer Research UK – with a wide range of activity designed and delivered by local people, partners and community organisations.
The local volunteers, from all walks of life, have signed-up to act as community champions to help raise awareness of the symptoms of bowel cancer. Over the next six weeks, they will be helping to encourage local residents to take home the message, that while the over 50s are most at risk of bowel cancer, early detection of symptoms and visiting a GP quickly could help save some of the 110 lives lost in Bradford and Airedale each year.
Community champion Mohammed Sharif, a community engagement worker, from Keighley said:
“I was really surprised when I heard that you can improve your chances of survival from bowel cancer by 93 per cent if it is diagnosed early. I am already active in promoting health in my local community, so got involved with the Be Clear on Cancer campaign and encouraged others to do the same. I feel it’s important to help save lives in any way I can.
“We’ll all do our bit to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer and encourage local residents to visit their GP if they spot any so they can receive the treatment they need before it’s too late.”
The team will be hitting the streets in the coming weeks with specially designed ‘bowel cancer quizzes’ containing lesser-known key facts about the disease, including early signs and symptoms – information that has real potential to save lives.
Over the next six weeks, the group of community champions will be talking to local residents, community groups, friends, family and even neighbours, to help communicate the importance of early diagnosis.
Campaign materials including posters, leaflets and specially designed ‘symptom cards’ will be distributed far and wide – to pharmacies, libraries, children’s centres and a range of other community venues. Radio advertising and a special leaflet drop to local over 50s have also been planned in a bid to spread the important message as far into the community as possible.
The key symptoms of bowel cancer to look out for include; blood in your poo and a change in bowel habits that lasts for more than three weeks (e.g. looser poo). Abdominal pain, tiredness or breathlessness and unexplained weight loss are also symptoms that need to be acted upon quickly by visiting the GP.
When looking at symptom response time in a recent cancer awareness survey in Bradford, people surveyed indicated that, on average, they would wait longer before seeking medical advice than Yorkshire as a whole. The most significant barrier to seeking medical advice sooner was the emotional barrier of worrying about what the doctor might find. More than half of respondents said this would prevent them from making an appointment.*
As Julia Burrows, public health consultant at NHS Bradford and Airedale, explains:
“The aim of Be Clear on Cancer is to raise awareness about the risks of bowel cancer if left undetected. However, the campaign is also designed to reassure and inform people – reinforcing the need to always get bowel cancer symptoms checked out by a GP, even though it may not be something serious.
“More than 90 per cent of people diagnosed with bowel cancer at the early stage survive for at least five years compared with only 6.6 per cent of those diagnosed at the late stage. With the launch of Be Clear on Cancer, it is important family, friends, and those in the community who have first-hand experience of the disease help spread the importance of early diagnosis.”
If you’re interested in spreading the word about bowel cancer in your community by becoming a community champion, please contact Matthew Speak or Steven Nicholson on 07739 309 464 / 07872 500 357 or email matthew@socialchange-hub.co.uk / stevenn@socialchange-hub.co.uk
