On 28th June 2022, Dame Deborah James AKA Bowelbabe died at the age of 40 from bowel cancer.
I have written on numerous occasions about bowel cancer – partly because of my obsession with all things ‘bottomy’ I am an avid believer that we really do not talk openly enough about our bowels and poo, partly as a colorectal cancer specialist nurse in a ‘previous nursey life’ and mainly because when found earlier enough, bowel cancer is treatable and curable.
As for bowelbabe, her legacy – a hugely increased awareness and a tenfold increase in people checking bowel cancer symptoms online on the NHS website immediately after her death of more than 23000 visits compared with 2000 the day before. I make no excuses for plagiarising some of her last words to the public – “check your poo – it could save your life”.
Sadly, as we have seen, bowel cancer is not always for the realms of the older population, we are seeing more cases is younger adults and there has never been a more poignant time than now to get the message out to everyone. If you poo, then check it.
What am I checking for?
- Blood in your poo
- A persistent change in bowel habit (3 weeks or more)
- Abdominal pain, discomfort, or bloating, always brought on by eating
Most people with these symptoms do not have bowel cancer but should be investigated to rule this out. See your GP if you have had any of these symptoms for 3 weeks or more.
Your GP may undertake an examination and carry out some tests then, if necessary, refer on to your local hospital for further investigations. Some of these investigations may cause some discomfort but are not painful. See the NHS for more information about this.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bowel-cancer/
Of course, there is always the embarrassment factor but trust me on this, as someone who has dealt with bowels for a good few years, be reassured that medical staff deal with this daily – just go!
How can I look after my bowel health?
We do not know what causes bowel cancer but there are factors that increase the risk of getting the disease. Some factors such as age and genetics cannot be changed but research shows that around 45% of bowel cancers could be prevented by simple diet and lifestyle changes.
- Eat less red meat and processed meat
- Eat more fibre
- Keep hydrated
- Maintain a healthy body weight
- Be more physically active
- Limit alcohol intake - it is estimated that 6% of bowel cancers are linked to alcohol intake.
- Stop smoking - it is estimated that 7% of bowel cancers are linked to smoking and bowel cancer risk increases with the number of cigarettes smoked.
- Take part in the NHS screening programme – this can detect bowel cancer at an early stage before symptoms are noted by looking for hidden blood in your poo. It is easier to treat and the chance of survival is greater. if you are registered with a GP and aged between 60 – 74 you will receive a test in the post every 2 years. This is undertaken in the privacy of your own home and just requires you to send off a sample of poo – so simple yet so effective.
Let’s make sure Bowelbabes legacy is never forgotten.
