A YORK MP has added his voice to a campaign to urge people to take part in bowel cancer screening.

Julian Sturdy, MP for York Outer, is backing Bowel Cancer Awareness Month in April and urging people to take up offers of bowel cancer screening.

Mr Sturdy said: “Improving the uptake of bowel cancer screening is very important as it is a real life saver, and I would urge everyone who is sent a bowel screening test to use it. Taking part in bowel cancer screening is the best way to get diagnosed early, which means a higher chance of successful treatment.”

More than 44 people die from bowel cancer every day in the UK, and it is the nation’s second biggest cancer killer but it is treatable and curable, especially if it is diagnosed early.

Last week Bowel Cancer UK revealed that four in ten people in the York area are ignoring the screening tests.

Deborah Alsina, chief executive of charity Bowel Cancer UK, said, “I’d like to thank Julian for supporting our campaign during Bowel Cancer Awareness Month to raise participation levels for bowel cancer screening.

“One in 14 men and one in 19 women will be diagnosed with bowel cancer during their lifetime but it is treatable and curable, especially if diagnosed early.”

The NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme can detect bowel cancer at an early stage in people with no symptoms when it is easier to treat.

Anyone aged between 60 and 74-years-old will get a bowel cancer screening kit in the post every two years, containing a simple test that people can do in private at home.

The test looks for hidden blood in faeces, which could be an early sign of bowel cancer.

More information is available online at www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk.