Winter News 2013 - Beating Bowel Cancer

Welcome
2012 – what a year
January saw the first
national TV and radio
bowel cancer awareness
campaign and our
parliamentary reception
hosted in the magnificent
Speaker’s State
Apartments. In April, we
were very proud of our
fantastic runners in the
London Marathon and
more patients than ever
attended our Patient Day.
In the summer, our
patron Matt Dawson was
well and truly challenged
in a Dragon Boat Race
by Bowel Cancer Voice
Debbie Puxty. In October,
70 colorectal nurses
gathered to attend their
national conference
organised by our Patient
Services team. And what
an amazing end to the
year with over 700 men
and women joining our
band of beardys!
Demand for our patient
services keeps rising. More
patients than ever have
contacted our helpline
and visited us online.
So what does this year
hold? This month we’ll
be launching our Patient
Service Pledge, setting out
the minimum standard of
care and treatment that
should be delivered to
everyone diagnosed with
bowel cancer. From March,
everyone aged 55 in six
pilot areas in England will
be invited to take part in
flexible sigmoidoscopy
screening, so please make
sure you take it up if you
are offered it.
Patients are still being
denied treatment from
which they could benefit.
This year we have a clear
goal to urgently address
the inequality between
nations which means
that life-changing drugs
are restricted for use in
Scotland and Wales, but
routinely given over the
border in England.
None of this work would
be possible without your
generous support. So
in 2013 we have some
amazing ways for you
to raise funds. With the
success of our community
fundraisers in the
Midlands and the North
West, we are committed to
growing a team of them in
other areas of the country.
In August, we will be one
of only thirty charities to
benefit from RideLondon,
nicknamed the ‘marathon
on wheels’. If you’re a
cyclist then this is the
event for you. Plus at the
end of the year we need
you to help us make the
next Decembeard even
bigger and better.
Wishing you a Happy
New Year.
Mark Flannagan
Chief Executive
Beating Bowel Cancer
2 www.beatingbowelcancer.org