How much do you know about bowel cancer?

DURING Bowel Cancer Awareness month, make sure you get your questions about bowel cancer answered, say Macmillan Cancer Support.

Their free, cancer advice and support is coming to Frome on Friday 28th April. Macmillan Cancer Support’s mobile service will be visiting the area, with cancer information specialists on hand to answer questions and provide information. The team encourages anyone with worries relating to cancer to stop by, whether you’re living with cancer, or care for someone who is.

April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month and Macmillan Cancer Support is encouraging people to be aware of the signs and symptoms of the disease.

Bowel cancer is the UK’s fourth most common cancer, and mostly affects people over the age of 50.

Elaine Perry, a Macmillan information and support specialist on the unit, said, “Knowing what changes to look for and when to see your doctor could make a real difference. Don’t be scared if you have symptoms. Get them checked.”

Men and women are advised to see their doctor if they have any of these symptoms:

• Bleeding from your bottom.

• Blood in your poo (stools or bowel motions) for three weeks or more.

• Looser poo or diarrhoea that lasts for four weeks or more.

• Pain or a lump in your tummy or back passage.

• Feeling like you haven’t emptied your bowel properly after going to the toilet.

• Losing weight for no obvious reason.

• Feeling more tired than usual for some time.

Elaine added, “Most people with these symptoms do not have bowel cancer – they can be caused by other things. But don’t try to diagnose yourself, see your doctor. If you do have cancer, the sooner it’s found, the more likely it is to be successfully treated.”

Details of the visit: Friday 28th April, Frome, Justice Lane Car Park, BA11 1BE, 9am to 3pm.

For further information about Macmillan’s mobile information service, and planned visits, go to http://www.macmillan.org.uk/aboutus/contactus/mobileinformationcentrelocations.aspx

Above: Phil Warner (facilities officer) and Elaine Perry (information specialist) with Bertie, the Macmillan mobile information bus.