Clinical Director of the Lancashire Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, Dr Mark Hendrickse
A leading bowel cancer specialist is urging people to use a screening test.
Clinical Director of the Lancashire Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, Dr Mark Hendrickse, has been talking about the importance of taking the Bowel Cancer Screening kit
As part of the Lancashire NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, which is run by a team based at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, all residents of Lancashire aged between 60 and 74 who are registered with a GP will receive an NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Kit through the post every two years.
Mark said: “Everyone has a one in 20 risk of developing bowel cancer, but if it is caught in the early stages there is a 90 per cent chance we can get rid of that cancer.
“If everyone takes up the screening, we could reduce deaths from bowel cancer by 16 per cent.
“Across Lancashire, the uptake rate is about 59 per cent. The national target is 60 per cent so please don’t ignore your screening test, it could save your life.”
To find out more about the scheme, visit www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk/bowel, or call 0800 707 60 60.
Here, Dr Hendrickse explaining the work of the Lancashire NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme at a special event: