No Ifs, No Butts: New campaign raising awareness of bowel cancer

ITV daytime show Lorraine wants us to feel more comfortable about discussing our toilet habits and to overcome any embarrassment. 

The No Butts campaign, which is being supported by the charity Bowel Cancer UK, urges us all to pay attention to our bodies and watch out for any unusual symptoms.

In the UK, someone is diagnosed with bowel cancer every 15 minutes and a person dies from the disease every half hour. 

It is our second deadliest cancer but is treatable and curable if caught early enough.

Bowel cancer is more common in the over 50s but affects people of all ages. 

Deborah James was 35 when she was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer. She is well known for talking openly about her experience on social media and on the podcast You, Me and the Big C. She wants people to understand the signs and symptoms to catch it early.

Victoria Walsh from Pershore in Worcestershire was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer in 2019, at the age of 39.

She says the hardest part of the diagnosis was deciding how to tell her partner and two children.

For Victoria, the early signs were difficulties digesting food and stomach cramps.

Richard Newhouse from Derby was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer at the age of 38.

Richard started experiencing abdominal pain, which progressively got worse. One night he was violently sick and his wife took him to hospital, where he received his diagnosis.

The No Butts campaign was launched this week on ITV’s Lorraine to coincide with Bowel Cancer Awareness Month. For more information head to https://www.itv.com/lorraine/.

Symptoms of bowel cancer

• Blood coming from your bottom or in your stools

• Obvious change in bowel habit

• Weight loss you can't explain

• Extreme tiredness

• Lump and/or pain in your tummy