Grow a beard for bowel cancer? That is what Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans is doing this December to raise awareness for the condition that took his father’s life. The DJ is promoting 'Decembeard' on his radio show and blog.
In July, Chris Evans, was tested for colorectal cancer through a colonscopy and was shocked to discover that doctors had found pre-cancerous growths. These have since been removed with no ill effect but without having been tested he may never have known until it was too late.
Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, Austin Obichere, writes that colorectal cancer, which is the second most common cause of deaths from cancer in the UK, may have “…no symptoms at all…” Trials following screening found that almost a fifth of deaths from bowel cancer are saved thanks to the NHS bowel cancer screening programme which aims to identify early stages of the disease.
