Campaign bids to highlight killer cancer

A hard-hitting campaign to highlight a killer disease will be launched today to mark Ireland’s first ever Bowel Cancer Awareness Month.

Throughout April the Irish Cancer Society will raise the profile of the condition, which is the second most common cause of cancer death in Ireland claiming more than 900 lives each year.

Half of patients with the disease are diagnosed with the most advanced stages which have very poor survival rates.

The campaign, concentrating on the message that finding the cancer early makes all the difference, will hit the airwaves all month.

Irish Cancer Society’s Kathleen O’Meara said 36% of people cannot name one sign or symptom of bowel cancer with a quarter not knowing what factors might increase their risk of developing the disease.

“The aim of this campaign is to save lives – by letting people know what the early signs and symptoms of this cancer are, and to press for a screening programme which would certainly save lives by finding the cancer early,” she added.

“These alarming statistics highlight the urgent need to increase the awareness of the incidence of bowel cancer, early signs and symptoms and the absolute necessity for early detection to improve chances of survival.”

Some of the warning signs for bowel cancer include change in bowel habits lasting more than a month, bleeding from the back passage, pain or discomfort in stomach area or back passage and tiredness.

Rick factors are age, family history of bowel cancer or abnormal growths of tissue in the lining of the bowel, diet, and obesity.

The society is also calling for the rollout of a free national bowel cancer screening programme for people over 50 years of age.

“Screening saves lives and there is evidence to show that a bowel cancer screening programme would start to save lives immediately. It is also the least expensive of all the screening programmes and would pay for itself in five years,” added Ms O’Meara.