The NHS is lowering the bowel cancer screening age from 60 to 50 in a major victory for campaigner Deborah James.
Bowelbabe’s £16m fundraiser and The Sun led calls for change ahead of her death aged 40 in 2022.
6
The NHS is lowering the bowel cancer screening age from 60 to 50 in a major victory for campaigner Dame Deborah James
6
Debs receives baptism from Prince William Credit: Graham Prentice
Her family is now inviting four million new people to take advantage of the opportunity.
Debs would be “grinning from ear to ear” at the decision to lower the bowel cancer screening age, her mum said.
Heather James, 67, welcomed the move by the NHS to lower the standard testing age from 60 to 50 – making four million people immediately eligible for the life-saving check.
It’s a huge win for Bowelbabe Debs and Sun’s No Time 2 Lose campaign, which has lobbied for change at Bowel Cancer UK.
The mother-of-two was diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer in 2016 and is set to die aged 40 in 2022 — but her incredible efforts have raised more than £16m for research into the disease.
Heather, from Woking, Surrey, said: “Deborah will be up there grinning from ear to ear, jumping for joy.
“But I know she’d want to encourage anyone who gets a test invitation to take the test!
“She was only too aware that many people ignore the call and postpone their test, a decision that can prove fatal.”
Today’s announcement that 850,000 50- and 52-year-olds in England will receive postal testing kits completes a rollout that began in 2021.
It also means people will now receive a routine test every two years between the ages of 50 and 74.
Dame Deborah James’ family call for earlier cancer diagnosis as dad Alistair says ‘it should have been me’
Writing in her Sun column in 2018, Deborah said: “For too long as a society we’ve avoided things that are a bit grim — poo, our guts, the nasty things that go on there.
“You’re never too young to be told you have bowel cancer, so it’s doubly important that we educate ourselves so we know what signs and symptoms to look out for.”
Bowel cancer is one of the most common forms of the disease in the UK, with more than 44,000 people diagnosed each year.
Early detection of tumors and before the appearance of serious symptoms is the best way to increase survival.
In 2022, according to the latest data, 6,500 people were diagnosed through the screening program.
More than 12,000 were put under close monitoring.
Deborah’s husband Seb Bowen said: “It’s amazing to know that more than two years after her death, Deborah’s legacy lives on.
“This is a major milestone, one that will save countless lives.
“No one knew better than Deborah the importance of early diagnosis.
“By the time her cancer was detected, it had already spread.
“She was so excited to see the first people in their 50s receiving invitations before she died.
“I know she would have the biggest smile today if she was here to witness it.
“If you get a call for a cancer screening, don’t ignore it or put it off.
“Do it for Deborah, check the poop. It really could mean the difference between life and death.”
6
The mother-of-two was diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer in 2016 and died aged 40 in 2022. Credit: Instagram / Deborah James
6
Dame Debs’ incredible efforts have raised more than £16m for research into the diseaseCredit: BBC
Lisa Wilde, from Bowel Cancer UK, hailed the move as “fantastic”.
She added: “Like us, Dame Deborah has always been passionate about getting people diagnosed as early as possible.
“This is something we’ve been campaigning for for a long time and we’re sure the bowel cancer community will be delighted that more people are now eligible.”
The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) checks for blood in the feces.
Patients use a small swab to collect a stool sample when they go to the toilet, then fill it into bottles and send it to NHS laboratories for testing.
Ninety-eight percent get the all clear.
Nine out of ten people who need further tests do not have bowel cancer.
Screening is vital because it can detect signs before symptoms get bad enough for someone to see a doctor.
Many of the signs are similar to those of other illnesses such as abdominal pain, bloating, weight loss or fatigue.
Key warnings are changes in your toilet habits, stool texture or blood in the toilet bowl.
Early screening is increasingly important as cases of the disease rise in younger adults, and millions of pounds from the Bowelbabe charity are supporting research into why this is so.
NHS England’s director of cancer, Professor Peter Johnson, said: “Thousands of people in England develop bowel cancer every year and there are concerns that it is becoming more common for people in their 50s.
“The chances of survival are very good if caught early.
“This is why the NHS is sending out millions of free screening kits that people can use at home.
“There’s no need to feel embarrassed about pooping.
“The test is quick and easy so please return your FIT kit if they send it to you.”
A WOMAN ON A MISSION
From Lizzie Parry, friend of Dame Debs and Head of Sun Health
FROM the moment I met Dame Debs it was clear she was a woman on a mission.
It was February 2017, just a few weeks after she was told the 6cm tumor growing in her colon was terminal cancer.
It was stage 4 and had already spread. During that first interview, Debs, then 35, told me, “You’re never too young.”
She was adamant that as a fit and healthy, vegetarian, marathon-running mother of two, she had to raise awareness of the disease that would eventually take her life.
If she could be diagnosed with incurable bowel cancer, anyone could, she stressed.
A year later when we launched the Sun’s No Time 2 Lose campaign with Bowel Cancer UK, Deborah was completely unstoppable.
She worked tirelessly and was an inspiration to many people after updating them on her journey.
She passionately wanted to make the government listen – and they listened! As with any major change like this, it takes time.
The first tests for those aged 50 began to be sent in 2021, a year before Deborah’s death.
I’m so glad she saw the turning point and died knowing that the change she worked so hard for was off to a strong start.
Now, thanks in large part to Dame Debs, four million people will be given the chance she never had – to catch cancer before it becomes incurable.
The NHS is urging more middle-aged people to come forward for the tests, as only around half of people in their 50s who are eligible are taking them.
Patients in their 60s and 70s have a far better completion rate of 70 percent.
In May 2022, days after she revealed she was receiving end-of-life care, Debs became a woman in just 24 hours.
Sun readers led the calls, with Prince William bestowing the honor at her family home.
Heather had her first bowel cancer test aged 60, just six months after Deb’s diagnosis in 2016.
She added: “Would I have had the test if Deborah hadn’t been diagnosed?
“Honestly, I don’t know.
“Back then, I didn’t know much about bowel cancer or its symptoms.
“When I got the invitation, Deborah got excited and tried to film me taking the test so she could share it in her column.
“I politely declined to be filmed but was very happy to help encourage others to do the test too.
“It’s so quick and easy, takes minutes and could really save your life.”
6
Sunny Lizzie Party with DeborahCredit: ITV
6
Deborah’s mum Heather, from Woking, Surrey, said: ‘Deborah will be up there grinning from ear to ear, jumping for joy’ Credit: Rex
Heather called on the government to go even further and lower the screening age to 40.
She said: “Opening up screening to those in their 50s means four million more people will get the chance to detect cancer at its earliest stages.
“Why stop there?
“More and more young people are being diagnosed like Deborah in their 30s and 40s, so we should aim to get more people involved in the screening programme.
“I hope to see it, but for now we are all very grateful to know that more lives will be saved.
“I truly believe that our grandchildren can look forward to a future where cancer is not the killer it is now — rather it will be a chronic condition that people can live with for a long time.
“That has always been Deborah’s dream.”
What are the warning signs of bowel cancer?
IT’S the fourth most common cancer in the UK, the second deadliest – yet bowel cancer can be cured if caught early enough.
While screening is one way to ensure early diagnosis, there are things everyone can do to reduce their risk of the deadly disease.
Being aware of the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer, noticing any changes and consulting your GP can prove to be lifesavers.
If you notice any of the signs, don’t be embarrassed and don’t ignore them. Doctors are used to seeing a lot of patients with bowel problems.
Five red flag symptoms of bowel cancer include:
- Bleeding from the back passage or blood in the stool
- Changing your usual toilet habits – for example going more often
- Abdominal pain or lump
- Extreme fatigue
- Weight loss
Tumors in the intestines usually bleed, which can cause a shortage of red blood cells, known as anemia. It can cause fatigue and sometimes shortness of breath.
In some cases, bowel cancer can block the bowel, which is known as bowel obstruction.
Other signs include:
- Grasping pains in the abdomen
- Feeling bloated
- Constipation and inability to pass wind
- Be ill
- Feeling like you need to strain – like you’re doing number two – but after you’ve been to the toilet
Although these are all signs to look out for, experts warn that the most serious is noticing blood in the stool.
However, they warn that it can be difficult for doctors to diagnose the disease, because in most cases these symptoms will be a sign of a less serious disease.
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education