Record numbers of people are getting checked for bowel cancer across the North West as more people become eligible for home screening tests.

The latest NHS figures show that awareness raising by the late Dame Deborah James, as well as the latest NHS Help us, Help you campaign, had an immediate impact as lower gastro-intestinal cancer referrals across the region in June with more than 7,600 people checked in just one month – up by 8% from the previous month and 55% from pre-pandemic levels. Dame Deborah campaigned tirelessly for more public awareness of bowel cancer, and the need to be vigilant about symptoms like blood in your poo, before she sadly passed away from the disease in June.

The NHS has seen thousands more people visit the NHS website to check for bowel cancer symptoms each day.

The NHS Long Term Plan sets out an ambition that three-quarters of cancers will be diagnosed at stages 1 or 2 by 2028, meaning an extra 55,000 people each year will survive for five years or more.

Bowel cancer is England’s fourth most common cancer, with around 37,000 new cases in England each year.

Symptoms of bowel cancer can include persistent blood in your poo, a change in bowel habits or tummy pain, and unexpected weight loss or fatigue, with statistics showing around nine in 10 people with bowel cancer are aged 60 or over.

The record referrals in June also coincide with the launch of a new phase of the NHS’s ‘Help Us Help You’ campaign which focused on helping people overcome barriers like fear and anxiety that often delay or prevent them from coming forward – with both running across TV, radio, print, social media and out-of-home advertising.

Dr Michael Gregory, Medical Director of the NHS England North West, said: “I’m pleased to see more people come forward with bowel cancer symptoms and referred for vital checks, thanks to the brave campaigning by Dame Deborah James. As with all cancers, early diagnosis improves treatment options and therefore better outcomes, so the sooner people come forward the better.

“Although the risk factors of bowel cancer include age, diet, family history as well as smoking and drinking habits, we also know it can also occur outside of these risks and I continue to urge anyone worried about symptoms to come forward and speak to their GP.”

The NHS has expanded the eligibility for the Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) – a life-saving home screening kit which detects bowel cancer – to 58 year olds meaning more people in the region will be able to easily test for bowel cancer, even if they don’t have symptoms when the test was taken, leading to increased early diagnosis and more lives saved.

Karen Cowely, 65 year old nurse from Newton-le-Willows, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016 after noticing changes to her bowel movements and breathlessness. She is now encouraging others to come forward if they notice changes with their body.

Karen said: “After noticing a consistent change to my bowel habit, including periods of not being able to go to the toilet, and breathlessness, I contacted my GP to find out what was going on. At first I asked the doctor to check for aneamia due to the breathlessness but he sent me for a bowel screening as well. Later that year I was diagnosed with bowel cancer and in February 2017, I had surgery to remove part of my colon. I also had six months of chemotherapy as there was a lymphatic tumour that was too risky to remove by surgery.

“It was an extremely scary time but I have ‘a glass half full’ outlook on life and knew that I needed to fight and continue living my life which helped me continue to work, exercise and socialise with friends and family.

“In 2020 I had more chemotherapy as the tumour was growing and I’m now taking part in the ANICCA trial at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre which treats this type of cancer with the nivolumab drug.

“I’m very happy to hear that the age has been lowered for the life-saving home screening kits and I’d encourage everyone who is eligible to do the test, it’s nothing to worry or be embarrassed about and it could save your life. If you notice changes to your body, not only your bowel movement but how you generally feel, please speak to your GP.”

The latest monthly performance stats also showed the NHS saw the highest month on record for total cancer referrals, with more than 32,000 people checked in June alone – an almost 30% increase on the number of checks made in June 2019 before the pandemic.

In order to meet increasing demand for cancer checks, NHS services across the country are expanding their diagnostic capabilities through one-stop shops for tests, mobile clinics and cancer symptom hotlines, ensuring people are diagnosed and treated as early as possible to give them a much better chance of beating the disease.

The NHS continues to urge people to not to be “prudish about poo”, with people often reluctant to talk about symptoms due to embarrassment.