'She will be up there grinning': Deborah James' mum hails bowel cancer screening age extension
Heather James, the mother of Dame Deborah James who died of bowel cancer aged 40 in 2022, has hailed the extension of bowel cancer screening tests.
The NHS announced that around 850,000 more people will receive bowel cancer testing kits as part of its screening scheme in England.
The current programme covers people aged 54 to 74, but the expansion means everyone aged 50 to 74 will eventually be offered a home-screening test to help detect bowel cancer.
Speaking to The Sun, Ms. James added: "Deborah will be up there grinning from ear to ear, jumping for joy.
"But I know she would want to urge anyone who gets a screening invite to take the test.
"She was all too aware that many people ignore the invite and put off their test, a decision that can prove fatal."
Those aged 50 and 52 will receive kits by the end of March, and people aged 51 and 53 will be posted a kit after their next birthday.
The faecal immunochemical test (FIT) checks for blood in a stool sample, with people collecting their own sample at home before posting it back to NHS labs in a prepaid return envelope.
Results are then sent out to people, along with any information about further tests, if required.
Figures show that fewer than 60% of 54 to 57-year-olds take up the test, compared with more than 70% of those aged 60 to 74.
Subscribe free to our weekly newsletter for exclusive and original coverage from ITV News. Direct to your inbox every Friday morning.
People are much more likely to survive bowel cancer or have successful treatment if the disease is caught before it has spread.
Steve Russell, national director for vaccinations and screening at NHS England, said: "While taking a test for bowel cancer may be the last thing you're thinking about as you enter the new year, it could save your life”.
Bowel cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting people in the UK, with more than 44,000 new cases every year.
Professor Peter Johnson, national clinical director for cancer at NHS England, said: "There is no need to feel embarrassed about poo - the test is quick and simple to use and can detect signs of bowel cancer, often before symptoms appear”.
While the bowel cancer screening programme will cover those aged 50 to 74, anyone aged 75 and over can request a kit by phoning the NHS bowel cancer screening helpline on 0800 707 60 60.
Anyone with symptoms of bowel cancer is urged to contact their GP and not wait for a test.
Signs include stomach pain lasting three weeks or more, blood in stools, diarrhoea or constipation for no obvious reason lasting three weeks or more, a feeling of not having emptied the bowels after going to the toilet, bottom pain and loose, pale or greasy stools.
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know