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Mark Pawsey MP pledges to beat bowel cancer in Rugby

Monday, 30 January, 2012

Rugby MP Mark Pawsey has pledged to support the national charity Beating Bowel Cancer to save lives from the UK’s second biggest cancer killer.

Mr Pawsey attended Beating Bowel Cancer’s annual Be Loud Be Clear parliamentary reception last week where he found out the latest bowel cancer figures for his local area. In Rugby, more people are diagnosed with bowel cancer and fewer people die from the disease than the national average*. 

Mark Pawsey MP said:

“One in eighteen people are diagnosed with bowel cancer and these local figures show that people in Rugby must take bowel cancer seriously. I hope that by supporting Beating Bowel Cancer’s campaign I can encourage people in my constituency to BE LOUD about bowel cancer and BE CLEAR on the symptoms of the UK’s second biggest cancer killer. 

Mark added:

“I am pleased that we have the NHS Screening pilot based at our local Hospital St Cross, distributing home testing kits to identify early stages of bowel cancer. This has led to a 16% reduction in bowel cancer deaths and I encourage those receiving a kit to take part.”

Mark Flannagan, Chief Executive of Beating Bowel Cancer said, 

“I am delighted that Mark Pawsey MP is supporting Be Loud Be Clear. Bowel cancer claims a life every 30 minutes in the UK but it but it can be beaten. No matter what the figures say for your local area, by working together to raise awareness, we can beat bowel cancer.”

Be Loud Be Clear 2012 coincides with the launch of Be Clear on Cancer, the first NHS national bowel cancer awareness campaign. Bowel Cancer is the UK’s second biggest cancer killer yet it can be beaten. If diagnosed early, over 90% of bowel cancer patients could be successfully treated compared with less than 7% of patients diagnosed with advanced bowel cancer . 

To find out more about bowel cancer and to access the latest figures for bowel cancer in your area, by local authority and constituency, visit www.beatingbowelcancer.org

* Rugby has 53 cases of bowel cancer and 11.7 deaths from the disease per 100,000 population compared to national average 46.1 cases and 17.3 deaths per 100,000 populationi

• MPs and other stakeholders attended the Be Loud Be Clear parliamentary reception on 25 January 2012 hosted by Mr Speaker, The Rt Hon John Bercow MP.

• Be Loud Be Clear, Beating Bowel Cancer’s annual awareness week takes place 23-29 January 2012. 

• Beating Bowel Cancer is a leading UK charity for people affected by bowel cancer. We are dedicated to saving lives by working in partnership to improve public awareness of bowel cancer and to increase the rate of early diagnosis. We help patients access the treatment they need and provide emotional and practical support to improve the lives of everyone affected by bowel cancer. 

• For more information about Be Clear on Cancer visit www.nhs.uk/bowelcancer