to support the amazing work that Bowel Cancer UK undertake in both the prevention, identification and treatment of Bowel Cancer

As a resident of the UK, I received, with hindsight, the best possible present from the  Bowel Cancer Screening Programme for my landmark birthday, a screening kit which you can complete at home, then post back to them. I received the kit and posted it back to them on 21 June 2022 expecting to get back a letter saying all was well. Unfortunately, this was not the case as I received a letter from them on 25 June 2022 to advise that further investigations were required and they had also arranged a telephone consultation with a screening practitioner on 30 June 2022

Even after the telephone appointment, I still did not think it could possibly be cancer but the subsequent Colonoscopy undertaken on 5 July confirmed that I had bowel cancer. You hear that C word and your mind goes into free fall but after talking to the Colorectal Nurses, this is not the potentially life shortening disease it was in years gone by. With funding, the treatment for this cancer will improve and also by educating us all, we can all play a part in recognizing that our bowels are not performing with the normal ease previously experienced and get intervention at a much earlier point where a cure is available

I then attended many appointments to complete  further tests and was fortunate to be able to have surgery on 27 July 2022 which was successful in removing the tumour and associated lymph nodes,  by removing a small section of my large colon and reattaching the ends .I am now waiting for chemotherapy but am expected to make a full recovery.

I have no doubts in my mind that this simple test saved my life, This test, coupled with all the great publicity by the late Dame Deborah James increased the public's awareness of this disease and what symptoms to look out for. I had suffered for a while with stomach pains but put this down to IBS, ignorance is not always bliss and in my case, like so many others nearly proved fatal. If you feel something is not quite right with any of your bodily functions, do not let anyone put you off getting an answer. I have great respect for the medical profession who have trained over many years to acquire their knowledge but you have lived in your body since birth and are the ultimate expert on all things you.

Please give what you can to Ann Marie's marathon fund. This is a cause which can affect any of us. You never know, the work undertaken by Bowel Cancer UK may just save your life or the life of a loved one.

To everyone who is on their own personal cancer journey, let us all hope that these journeys will become fewer and ultimately end with a cure for all cancer sufferers.