Mary Creagh, Member of Parliament for Wakefield, has pledged to become a Bowel Cancer Champion to lead the change in Parliament for people affected by the disease.
Someone is diagnosed with bowel cancer every 15 minutes, making it the UK’s fourth most common cancer. It’s also the second biggest cancer killer, nearly 16,000 people die from the disease every year. Yet bowel cancer is treatable and curable especially if diagnosed early. However, only 15% are diagnosed at the earliest stage of the disease when the chance of survival is highest.
As a Bowel Cancer Champion, Mary Creagh MP, will work with Bowel Cancer UK – the UK’s leading bowel cancer research charity – to increase early diagnosis and improve access to best treatment and care both in Wakefield and nationally. By working together with people affected by the disease and the clinical and research community, as well as MPs, the charity’s ambition is that by 2025, survival rates can be transformed from 60% of people surviving bowel cancer to 75%.
Mary Creagh MP says: “It simply isn’t acceptable that so many people die from bowel cancer each year. That’s why I’m proud to be working with Bowel Cancer UK and helping them make real change happen through my role as a Bowel Cancer Champion. I look forward to using my position in Parliament to call for changes which can improve outcomes for patients with bowel cancer in Wakefield. Together we can stop bowel cancer.”
Asha Kaur, Head of Policy & Campaigns at Bowel Cancer UK, says: “I’m delighted that Mary Creagh has pledged to become a Bowel Cancer Champion. Mary will serve as a valuable ally in helping us to put bowel cancer firmly on the political agenda and campaigning for crucial improvements to services for bowel cancer patients both nationally and in Wakefield.”
About Bowel Cancer UK
Bowel Cancer UK is the UK’s leading bowel cancer research charity, determined to save lives and improve the quality of life for all those affected by bowel cancer. The charity supports and influences research, educates patients, the public and professionals about bowel cancer and campaigns for early diagnosis and best treatment and care for all those affected. For more information, visit bowelcanceruk.org.uk
About bowel cancer
Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK and the second biggest cancer killer, affecting both men and women. Every 15 minutes in the UK someone is diagnosed with bowel cancer. That’s over 41,000 people every year.
Bowel cancer is treatable and curable especially if diagnosed early. Nearly everyone diagnosed at the earliest stage will survive bowel cancer. However, this drops significantly as the disease develops. Early diagnosis really does save lives.
Symptoms of bowel cancer include:
• Bleeding from your bottom and/or blood in your poo
• A change in bowel habit lasting three weeks or more
• Extreme tiredness for no obvious reason
• Unexplained weight loss
• A pain or lump in your tummy
Most people with these symptoms don’t have bowel cancer. Other health problems can cause similar symptoms. But if you have one or more of these, or if things just don’t feel right, go to see your GP.