25 September 2020

We share the same values and goals and will have a stronger voice as we work together.

“Our shared aim is to fund the best science and to strive towards a world where no one should die of bowel cancer nor live with chronic bowel disease. We will work towards that goal together,” says Co-chair of Bowel Research UK, Paul Reynolds.

Co-chair Asha Senapati, says: “This merger offers the most effective way to fund and support the best science. By combining our individual strengths we are confident that we will increase income, promote awareness, and support investment in more research aimed at ending the scourge of bowel cancer and chronic bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, for which there are currently no cures.”

Bowel Research UK has a new Chief Executive to lead the new organisation, Rebecca Porta, who has a wealth of experience in this sector. She says “Bowel Research UK brings together two exceptional charities and the wider research community. Our aim is to build on their expertise, success and achievements and to radically change the  outlook for those diagnosed and living with bowel cancer and bowel disease through funding world class research, promoting dialogue, “driving change” as a result of research outcomes and campaigning for further investment in research.”

The new board includes six trustees from each charity and we bring the experience of each charity with us.

Our official launch on the 29th September 2020 is both exciting and timely. Bowel Research UK is undoubtedly a good news story, particularly given the challenging and unprecedented circumstances in which we are working.

The founding charities were closely aligned with the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland and the National Bowel Research Centre and we look forward to our continuing close relationship with them.

We bring firmly all links into our new charity and together we pride ourselves on being able to fund the best science, often in areas of research that are neglected by other grant funders.  Our joint spending on research over the last ten years was more than £9 million and we intend to significantly increase our spend going forward.

Patients, their carers, and members of the public will be at the heart of the new charity – shaping,  implementing, and driving forward the research that is funded by Bowel Research UK.

We have announced an important new research grant round as part of our launch and our commitment to fund £1,000,000 of research in the coming year. Only with the generosity of our supporters, friends, and those affected by bowel cancer and bowel disease can we meet this target and indeed ensure that vital research in the future will be supported.  Our two charities have already made an important contribution to improving our understanding of bowel cancer and other bowel diseases, to finding new ways to treat and manage them, and of course to improving quality of life.

“You can help us – Bowel Research UK – achieve our aim and more by making a gift to support life changing and life saving research.”

We hope you too are excited and inspired by our new charity and will come with us on our journey to make lives better for the millions of people who suffer from bowel cancer and bowel diseases of all kinds, to all of which we have a firm commitment in funding the best research that will make a difference.

Support our research

Bowel Research UK is dedicated to finding effective treatments for bowel cancer and other bowel diseases, to save lives and to help people suffering with bowel conditions to enjoy a better quality of life.

Please consider making a donation to help support our work today.