Bowel Cancer Awareness Month
As Bowel Cancer Awareness Month comes to an end, we wanted to say thank you for all the support for our partnership with The Bowelbabe Fund. To mark the end of the month we are sharing with you some common symptoms to keep an eye out for, an inspirational story shared by Ellie, and some words from Heather James — Dame Deborah James’ mother.
We are proud to be supporting the Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK*, donating £5 from the sale of every Bowelbabe Fund 1/2 Pint Mug. The Bowelbabe Fund was set up to continue the incredible legacy of Dame Deborah James, who died of cancer in 2022 but who never gave up her rebellious hope for a brighter future.
*£5 from the sale of each of these mugs will be paid to the Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK, a restricted fund within Cancer Research UK. Cancer Research UK is a registered charity No: 1089464 in England and Wales, SC041666 in Scotland and 1103 in the Isle of Man and 247 in Jersey.
Words from Heather James
‘I’m absolutely thrilled with the Emma Bridgewater Bowelbabe Fund mug and how popular it has been. It’s wonderful to see Deborah’s words on the mug and I hope that it brings hope to everyone who buys a mug.’
— Heather James, Dame Deborah James’ Mother
Ellie’s Story
Ellie was just 25 when she received her stage 4 bowel cancer diagnosis. She started suffering with 'extreme pain' in her abdomen but thought 'nothing of it' and instead suspected she had just another urinary tract infection (UTI).
When the pain began to worsen, she went to see her GP. A blood test showed that her inflammatory markers were 'extremely high', so she was referred to have an ultrasound. Eventually admitted via A&E, doctors found a mass in her lower abdomen. They thought she may have an ovarian cyst, this was then diagnosed as potential pelvic inflammatory disease and a biopsy was done. Following further scans, in February 2022, Ellie received the last thing she expected being so young - her cancer diagnosis. She underwent surgery, gruelling rounds of chemotherapy and then more surgery before being told that there was no more evidence of the disease in August 2023.
"I remember being in the midst of my treatment whilst following Deborah's story. Cancer for me felt like this new and scary world that I'd been plunged head-first into. It was scary and unfamiliar to me' filled with doctors, hospital gowns and a cocktail of tests and medication.
It was Deborah that made all of this 'new world' feel human. Deborah, to me, was proof that you really can live with cancer. She was this beacon of hope who was truly empowering and inspiring, this positivity continues to shine with her legacy.”
Good to know
There are around 42,300 new cases of bowel cancer in the UK every year, not all the symptoms are obvious. The team at the Bowelbabe Fund have shared with us some health information around bowel cancer:
Get to know what’s normal for you – here are a few symptoms to look out for:
• Blood in your poo or bleeding from your bottom
• Change in your bowel habits
• Unexpected weight loss
• A pain or lump in your tummy or bottom
• Feeling more tired or breathless than usual
To find out more, visit cruk.org/bowel
We are proud to be supporting the Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK*, donating £5 from the sale of every Bowelbabe Fund 1/2 Pint Mug...
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