With over 900 Irish people dying of bowel cancer every year, and over half of patients presenting with late stage bowel cancer, the Irish Cancer Society has nominated April 2009 as Ireland’s first ever Bowel Cancer Awareness Month.

The campaign, which kicks off this week, aims to both raise awareness of the cancer’s signs and symptoms as well as highlighting the benefit of a bowel cancer screening programme. (If you have any concerns or questions about cancer please scroll down for how to contact us)

The high profile campaign will comprise a series of events as well as an intensive advertising (radio, press, outdoor and online) throughout the month of April concentrating on the message that finding the cancer early makes all the difference.
 
“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”, said Kathleen O’Meara, Head of Advocacy and Communications at the irish Cancer Society.

A national bowel cancer awareness survey of 1,000 people aged 15+ years commissioned by the Irish Cancer Society and conducted during Summer 2008, showed a stark lack of knowledge of the early signs and symptoms of bowel cancer and the measures which can be taken to prevent this common cancer.

The key results of this survey showed that:

• 36% of people cannot name one sign or symptom of bowel cancer.
• 25% of people do not know factors which might increase their risk of developing bowel cancer.
• Four in ten people believe that people under 50 years of age are most at risk of developing bowel cancer - in fact 90% of people diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2005 were over the age of 50.

Bowel cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in Ireland, after lung cancer. In 2005 2,184 new cases of bowel cancer were diagnosed and 924 people died from the disease. Over fifty percent of patients in Ireland are diagnosed with Stage 3 or 4 bowel cancer - the most advanced stages which have very poor survival rates.

‘These alarming statistics, combined with the findings of this national bowel cancer awareness survey commissioned by the Society, 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’ said Head of Advocacy and Communications in the Irish Cancer Society Kathleen O’Meara.

Nursing Services Manager at the Irish Cancer Society Joan Kelly said, ‘Early detection of bowel cancer saves lives and that’s why the Irish Cancer Society is encouraging people to learn more about bowel health. We are telling people that they can take action to reduce the risk of getting bowel cancer and this action could save their life. We are highlighting this issue because people are literally dying of embarrassment by not knowing, confronting or being aware of the various symptoms of bowel cancer.’

At the heart of the campaign will be the National Cancer Helpline staffed by specialist cancer nurses (full details below)

Kathleen O’Meara said the Irish Cancer Society also wants to see 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”, she said.

Contact the Irish Cancer Society cancer helpline

• Freefone 1800 200 700 to speak to our specialist cancer nurses
• E-mail helpline@irishcancer.ie
• View the Irish Cancer Society's bowel cancer information pages
• Call into the Irish Cancer Society offices at 43/45 Northumberland Road, Dublin 4 to discuss your concerns about bowel cancer.
• Online chat with cancer helpline - click banner below.