Thousands of people in the Midlands who have been sent a lifesaving home testing kit that can detect early signs of bowel cancer are being encouraged to use it and return it, as part of a new, first-of-a-kind NHS campaign.

The campaign aims to increase uptake of the home testing kit to ensure more people are diagnosed with bowel cancer at the earliest stage, when they’re nine times more likely to survive. Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK, and the second biggest cancer killer. There were almost 7,000 cases of bowel cancer diagnosed across the Midlands in 2020.

The campaign, which launched this week, highlights how quick and convenient it is to complete the test with the advert showing a man joyfully running around his house with toilet roll before completing the test. The ad ends by saying: “Put it by the loo. Don’t put it off.”

Latest data shows the proportion of people choosing to participate in bowel screening has increased to 70.3% – the highest on record. However, almost one third (30%) of people aren’t returning their test kit.

Each month, the NHS posts out more than half a million free Faecal Immunochemical Test kits (FIT) to people to use in the privacy of their homes.

The FIT kit detects small amounts of blood in poo – that would not be visible to people – before someone may notice anything is wrong.

People aged 60 to 74 years who are registered with a GP practice and live in England are automatically sent a FIT kit every two years. As part of plans to lower the age of people that receive the test to age 50 by 2025, 56-year-olds are sent the test kit and it is currently being rolled out to 58-year-olds.

Michael, from Chell in Staffordshire, received his bowel screening test through his letter box in August 2021. After sending the kit back to be analysed, he was promptly invited to attend a further test where a two-and-a-half-centimetre tumour was found in his bowel.

The 68-year-old said: “I had absolutely no symptoms. No blood in my poo and no change of bowel habits, so it was a complete shock to hear the nurse say I had bowel cancer. That’s the importance of taking up your screening. I had no symptoms. If you don’t take up the opportunity, you are putting your life on the line.”

Michael has received treatment and has now been given the all-clear.

Dr Colette Marshall, NHS regional medical director for commissioning which includes screening, adds: “It is really important to use the FIT tests when you are sent them. The earlier bowel cancer is diagnosed, the higher the chance of survival.

“We’re hoping the campaign, and stories like Michael’s, mean more people across the Midlands complete and send their FIT tests back”.