April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month. Bowel cancer is Scotland’s third most common cancer but it is treatable and curable especially if diagnosed early. Nearly everyone diagnosed at the earliest stage will survive bowel cancer but this drops significantly as the disease develops. 

Only around 15% of people are diagnosed with Bowel Cancer at the earliest stage. Being aware of the key symptoms and visiting your GP if things don’t feel right can help increase chances of an early diagnosis.  The NHS Bowel Screening Programme is available to all men and women aged 50-74 in Scotland. Please complete the test which you should receive every three years.

In March Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership’s North East Locality Health Improvement Team and Scottish Health Council staff visited the Men's Shed in Shettleston. They met members of the Shed to prepare for a focus group to discuss why men don't participate in the Scottish Bowel Screening Programme.  The Men's Shed, provides a social outlet for men, living in the east end of Glasgow.  Activities available are woodwork, pool, computing, watching DVD's and chatting over a cuppa with men from the local area.  

For more information contact Shettleston Men's Shed, 647 Shettleston Road, Glasgow G32 7EH.  Tel: 0141 778 1877. 

Willie Smith, Chairperson and one of the founders of Shettleston Men's Shed which was set up 4 years ago said: “We were retired and were looking for stuff to do so we set up the group.  We quickly became constituted and gained charitable status.  The group now has 67 members with at least 20 attending on Wednesday's and Friday's.  We have just received two year Health Lottery funding and hope to open on Monday's from the spring.”

Kenneth Paxton, a regular visitor said: "I come for the companionship, chatter, knowledge, information sharing and education.  I play darts and chat to people.  Everyone is so friendly and I'm not afraid to come along by myself."

Symptoms of bowel cancer can include:
•    Bleeding from your bottom and/or blood in your poo. 
•    A persistent and unexplained change in bowel habit. 
•    Unexplained weight loss
•    Extreme tiredness for no obvious reason
•    A pain or lump in your tummy

If you have any symptoms, don’t be embarrassed and don’t ignore them. Doctors are used to seeing lots of people with bowel problems, you can find a list of symptoms on the Bowel Cancer UK Website. 
https://www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk/about-bowel-cancer/symptoms/