Majestic Wine Chooses Bowel Cancer UK as Charity of the Year

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Steve Lewis, Chief Executive, Majestic Wine:

"I'm delighted to announce that Majestic staff have chosen Bowel Cancer UK as our Charity of the Year for 2012.  With collection tins in stores, mobile phone and printer cartridge recycling and staff fundraising activities, we're looking to continue to build on last year's fantastic work for charity."

Deborah Alsina, Chief Executive, Bowel Cancer UK:

"Bowel Cancer UK is absolutely delighted to have been chosen as Majestic Wine Charity of the Year 2012. As a small charity tackling a big disease this will make a huge difference. We will be able to reach even more people about the symptoms and what they can do to reduce their risk."

Over 2012, Majestic Wine will be raising awareness and money for us through collection tins in stores, mobile phone and printer cartridge recycling and staff fundraising activities.

Harold's story: screening and early diagnosis of bowel cancer

In December 2007, Harold Staniforth was getting ready to celebrate his 65th birthday. He was in excellent health and enjoying an active retirement, so when a bowel cancer screening kit arrived he decided he had nothing to lose and so completed the test.

About a week later, Harold was asked to attend his local clinic; Harold was advised of the appearance of blood in his stools and so he underwent a colonoscopy. To his horror, this confirmed the existence of a probably malignant tumour in his rectum. Harold was shocked and thought "Why me? I am fit and well and there is no history of bowel cancer in my family."

Due to complications, Harold's treatment was transferred to the specialist Christie hospital, where the team put into action a plan to separate and shrink two tumours, so he could be operated on. Surgery was 100% successful, though Harold awoke to find he had to have an ileostomy for eight months and further courses of chemotherapy.

I consider myself a very lucky man. That decision to complete the screening kit in December 2007 was the best decision I have ever made in my life and had I not taken that course of action, there is no doubt in my mind I would not be alive today. Anyone reading this, who is eligible to participate in the screening programme, should not think twice about it. It's a no brainer - just do it!