Be Loud! Be Clear! for Beating Bowel Cancer

Be Loud Be Clear takes place during week commencing 23 January. It’s a week to raise awareness for bowel cancer.

Awareness saves lives.

Do you know the symptoms of bowel cancer? You might think you do…

But just to make sure, Beating Bowel Cancer explains the most common symptoms:

1. Bleeding from the bottom (rectal bleeding) without any obvious reason. You may also notice other symptoms such as straining, soreness, lumps and itchiness around the back passage. These can often be caused by piles (haemorrhoids), but this is also a “red flag” symptom for urgent investigation, so it is very important to see your GP, who can take a full history and do an initial examination.

2. A persistent change in bowel habit meaning any unexpected or unexplained change to your normal habits of going to the toilet and emptying your bowels. It can sometimes be problems with constipation, and feeling that your bowel is not completely empty. It is especially important if you are going to the toilet more often or experiencing looser stools and/or passing lots of clear, “jelly-like” mucus.

3. Abdominal pain that is constant or which comes and goes. You should seek help immediately if it becomes severe.

4. A lump in your tummy especially on the right hand side.

5. Unexplained tiredness, dizziness & breathlessness (signs of anaemia).

6. Unexpected and unexplained weight loss.

Full page is here: http://www.beatingbowelcancer.org/bowel-cancer-symptoms

I wish I’d known the symptoms. If I had I would have gone to the Doctor a lot sooner.

Watch the Bottom Line film which raises awareness of the symptoms of bowel cancer and how important an early diagnosis is.

What will I be doing to support Be Loud Be Clear?

I’ll be tweeting throughout the week and posting on my Facebook page about the symptoms of bowel cancer. I’ll also tweet links to films and the nurse helpline from Beating Bowel Cancer.

I’ll be attending Beating Bowel Cancer’s Parliamentary Reception which is on Wednesday 25 January 2012. Beating Bowel Cancer will be launching a report ‘Equity in Excellence for Bowel Cancer – delivering world class outcomes for patients with bowel cancer’. The report sets out how Beating Bowel Cancer will contribute to the delivery of the best services for bowel cancer patients and presents a new challenge to policy makers.

Bowel cancer is the UK’s second biggest cancer killer. It can be cured, and that’s why early diagnosis is vital. Take a minute to read up on the symptoms.

Worried? Talk to Beating Bowel Cancer

Their offices and nurse helpline are open 9am – 5.30pm Monday to Thursday and 9am to 4pm on Friday

Call 08450 719 301or email nurse@beatingbowelcancer.org

References:

Bowel Cancer Symptoms | Beating Bowel Cancer (2011) Beating Bowel Cancer. [Online]. Available from: http://www.beatingbowelcancer.org/bowel-cancer-symptoms. [Accessed 21 January 2012].