Life-saving bowel screening campaign launches in London

NHS London is running a lifesaving campaign this summer to encourage more people to do their free NHS bowel cancer screening test, which checks if you could have bowel cancer.

The campaign, “Your next poo could save your life”, urges people who have been sent a free bowel cancer screening kit to use it.

This is particularly important in north east London because the rate of people returning their kits here is lower than other parts of the country.

Cancer was caught early for Simon Clarke, 67, a London resident, thanks to bowel cancer screening.

Simon was investigated after his bowel cancer screening test and, in November 2021, polyps – little growths – were removed from his bowel.

He said: “I wasn’t particularly worried. I’ve always had the attitude it wouldn’t be me that gets ill.

“But when they analysed the polyps, cancer was in one of them. They caught it as a very minor tumour, and it hadn’t spread. Without the screening I wouldn’t have known it was there.

“I’d say to other people: use the bowel cancer screening kit when you’re sent it, because if it finds something early like it did with me, it could save your life.”

London Director of Public Health, Professor Kevin Fenton said: “Bowel cancer is one of the most common cancers. Anyone can get it.

“In the UK, 43,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer and over 16,500 people die from it each year – more than 45 deaths a day.

“Screening - which you do in private at home - can help prevent bowel cancer or find it at an early stage when it’s easier to treat.  Those who complete bowel cancer screening are 25% less likely to die of bowel cancer.

“That’s why the NHS sends out free bowel cancer screening kits to use at home. They are for people with no symptoms and most people get the all-clear. If you are sent a test, please use it.”

The campaign “Your next poo could save your life” aims to increase uptake of bowel cancer screening across London. It is particularly focusing on those who are less likely to do the test: men, people sent the bowel cancer screening kit for the first time, people in deprived areas, people from some ethnic and faith communities, and people with a learning disability.

It is using street and community advertising, radio ads, social media, and focused engagement with 10 boroughs in London to get the message out. For more information on the campaign as well as videos, case studies and campaign resources, please visit healthylondon.org/BCS.

For more information on bowel screening and other life-saving screening programmes, visit our cancer screening pages.