Welcome to our #auguts campaign. This year we are having conversations about the hard to talk about; including incontinence, the lesser talked about bowel diseases and the realities of recovery from bowel cancer
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Bowel Research UK brought together some of our researchers, patients and our CEO to discuss what makes bowel disease hard to talk about and hard to fund. Watch them share their stories and find out how you can join the campaign.
Lynn and Victoria are both survivors of stage 3 bowel cancer, and live with incontinence among other long-term effects of their treatment. As CEO of Bowel Research UK, Lynn has a unique insight into bowel disease research and shares her hopes for the future.
Amanda had an operation in her lower bowel which has left her with low anterior resection syndrome (LARS). She spoke to the head of the National Bowel Research Centre, Professor Charles Knowles MBBChir, PhD FRCS, FACCRS hon, about the impact LARS has on her life and how it can be difficult to discuss her condition with friends and family.
Eric experienced sepsis after diverticular disease caused his bowel to rupture, and he came within 24 hours of losing his life. He spoke to Dr Madusha Peiris, a researcher from Queen Mary University of London, about their experiences living with bowel disease and working within the field.
Thor lives with Crohn’s disease, and shares his experiences of diagnosis during his teenage years. Miss Laura Hancock is a colorectal surgeon who conducts research within the field of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Her Bowel Research UK grant focuses on an under-recognised type of Crohn’s disease that involves the genital region.
Want to learn more about bowel cancer and bowel disease? Test your knowledge and share with friends!
What is Lynch syndrome?
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Lynch syndrome is a type of inherited cancer syndrome associated with a genetic predisposition to different cancer types. This means people with Lynch syndrome have a higher risk of certain types of cancer. Lynch Syndrome is also known as hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC).
What does IBD stand for?
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Inflammatory bowel disease. IBD is a term that refers to two different conditions: Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. They are both caused by overactivity of the immune system within the gut.
How many people in the UK have a stoma?
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165,000–200,000 live with a stoma in the UK. Approximately 21,000 patients undergo stoma formation surgery each year
What percentage of cancers diagnosed globally are bowel cancers?
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10% of all cancer cases diagnosed every year globally are bowel cancers. Bowel, or colorectal cancer, occurs in the colon (large intestine) or back passage (rectum). About 80% of bowel cancers occur in the large intestine and 20% in the rectum.
What is diverticulosis?
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Small out-pouches from the wall of the gut. Diverticulosis is when small weaknesses in the gut wall mean small bulges (called diverticulae) develop. Around three quarters of people with diverticulosis don't have any symptoms
How many people in England have Lynch syndrome?
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It is estimated that 1 in 400 people in the England have Lynch syndrome, but only 5% are aware that they have it. More research is needed to fully understand the prevalence and impact.
Age impacts the likelihood that someone will have diverticulae in their gut. What proportion of adults over 50 have diverticulae?
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Roughly 1 in 3 people. Diverticulae (outpouching of the gut wall) are more common in older people. Approximately half of people people over 50 have diverticulosis in their colon, which rises to 70% in those aged 80 years or older.
What does LARS stand for?
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Low anterior resection syndrome. 80% of patients who have surgery to remove cancers or fix other issues in the lower bowel (near the rectum) have problems with bowel control after surgery. This is known as low anterior resection syndrome, or LARS. The symptoms of LARS include needing to go to the loo frequently and urgently, incontinence, and constipation
What is diverticulitis?
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Infection and inflammation of outpouching in the gut wall. Diverticulae are small outpouchings from the gut wall. If stool gets stuck in them, this can cause infection and inflammation called diverticulitis.
How many more patients under 50 are diagnosed with bowel cancer now compared to the 1990's?
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48% more. Rates of colorectal cancers in patients under the age of 50 have risen by 48% since the 1990's. There's evidence that this is related to diet and lifestyle factors
What proportion of people with Crohn's will have surgery?
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75% of people with Crohn's disease will need surgery at some point. This is usually to treat the symptoms and reduce the risk of complications from the condition.
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Donate nowShare your storyWe’re highlighting topics that are difficult to talk about and research that’s hard to fund. Read and watch stories from bowel cancer and bowel disease patients and researchers.
Lynn and Victoria are both survivors of stage 3 bowel cancer, and live with incontinence among other long-term effects of their treatment. As CEO of Bowel Research UK, Lynn has a unique insight into bowel disease research and shares her hopes for the future.
Amanda had an operation in her lower bowel which has left her with low anterior resection syndrome (LARS). She spoke to the head of the National Bowel Research Centre, Professor Charles Knowles MBBChir, PhD FRCS, FACCRS hon, about the impact LARS has on her life and how it can be difficult to discuss her condition with friends and family.
Eric experienced sepsis after diverticular disease caused his bowel to rupture, and he came within 24 hours of losing his life. He spoke to Dr Madusha Peiris, a researcher from Queen Mary University of London, about their experiences living with bowel disease and working within the field.
Join the #auguts campaign by sharing your own story via video or the written word! We are looking for videos and stories about difficult conversations people have had about their bowel condition, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, or anything else related. Our Patient and Public Involvement Manager Sam Alexandra Rose has created her own video as an example, which you can see below to give you some ideas.
Your video or written story will appear on our website and be shared on our social media channels. Please include your social media handles if you feel comfortable with us tagging you when we share your story. Videos may be edited slightly, for example by adding captions or putting several videos together, or adding our logo. Take a look at this guide for some tips on filming video on your phone. If you have any questions, email sam@bowelresearchuk.org.
