Our Clinical Advisory Board

Mark brings expertise in bowel cancer treatment, clinical trials and oncology leadership.

Professor Mark Saunders is Professor of Clinical Oncology and Honorary Consultant Clinical Oncologist at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. Mark is an internationally recognised expert in colorectal and anal cancers, with a particular interest in clinical trials evaluating new treatments and biomarkers to improve patient outcomes. He's been Chief or Principal Investigator on numerous national and international bowel cancer studies and has held leadership roles across cancer research, including national clinical trials groups, the Cancer Drugs Fund and NICE. Mark has worked closely with the charity for many years and is now helping shape it's clinical and strategic direction as chair of the Clinical Advisory Board. 

Richard brings expertise in colorectal cancer clinical trials, translational research and oncology.

Professor Richard Adams is Professor of Clinical Trials at Cardiff University and Honorary Consultant Clinical Oncologist at Velindre Cancer Centre. Richard is an internationally recognised expert in lower gastrointestinal cancers and leads a wide-ranging programme of colorectal cancer clinical trials and translational research. He's Chair of the British Colorectal Oncology Group, Lead for the Wales Tackling Cancer Through Research Initiative, and Clinical Director of the Centre for Trials Research, where he works to accelerate access to innovative cancer treatments across the UK. Richard is Chief Investigator on multiple national and international bowel cancer trials and is committed to translating research into improvements in patient care. He's also passionate about developing the next generation of cancer researchers and fostering collaboration across the NHS, academia and industry. 

Stephen brings expertise in advanced colorectal cancer, hepatobiliary surgery, cancer service leadership and research.

Mr Stephen Fenwick is a Consultant Hepatobiliary Surgeon at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital and Director of Cancer Services in Liverpool. He's also a member of the regional Cancer Alliance Board and a past President of the Great Britain and Ireland Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association. Stephen’s clinical expertise includes the multimodal management of advanced colorectal cancer, with research spanning metastatic colorectal cancer and ways to improve outcomes for major cancer surgery. He has a longstanding relationship with us, having served as a trustee for nine years, during which he established and chaired the charity’s Research Committee. 

Kevin brings expertise in hereditary bowel cancer, Lynch syndrome, endoscopy and cancer prevention.

Professor Kevin Monahan is Professor of Practice (Gastroenterology) at Imperial College London and Consultant Gastroenterologist and Endoscopist at St Mark's Hospital, where he leads specialist services for Lynch syndrome and familial bowel cancer. Kevin is a nationally recognised expert in hereditary bowel cancer and has played a leading role in improving the identification, diagnosis and management of Lynch syndrome across England. He was Clinical Advisor to the NHS England Lynch Syndrome Programme and co-led the National Lynch Syndrome Transformation Programme, helping establish the national bowel cancer screening programme for people with Lynch syndrome. His research focuses on hereditary bowel cancer, endoscopy and the development of new approaches to cancer surveillance, including the FIT for Lynch study. 

Joseph brings expertise in colorectal cancer pharmacy, medicines optimisation and cancer service improvement.

Joseph Williams is Education and Training Lead, Non-Medical Prescribing Pharmacy Lead and Specialist Cancer Pharmacist at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. An independent prescriber specialising in colorectal cancer, Joseph leads patient-facing services and applied research to improve cancer treatment, medicines optimisation and care closer to home. He's also an Honorary Clinical Lecturer at the University of Manchester. Nationally, Joseph has held leadership roles including Chair of the British Oncology Pharmacy Association, Co-Chair of the UK Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy Board and Vice Chair of the International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners' Education Committee. He's a Fellow of the Royal College of Pharmacy and is committed to advancing cancer pharmacy practice and improving outcomes for people affected by bowel cancer. 

Sally brings expertise in bowel cancer screening, diagnostics, and FIT implementation.

Professor Sally Benton is Consultant Clinical Scientist in Biochemistry, Clinical Lead for Clinical and Specialist Biochemistry Services at Berkshire and Surrey Pathology Services, Director of the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Hub for the South of England, and Honorary Professor at the University of Surrey. Sally is an internationally recognised expert in the faecal immunochemical test (FIT) and leads research into its use and other biomarkers to improve the early diagnosis of colorectal cancer. She's helped shape national and international guidance on FIT, including contributing to UK symptomatic FIT guidelines, and currently co-chairs the World Endoscopy Organisation expert working group on FIT for screening. Sally also chairs an International Federation of Clinical Chemistry working group focused on standardising FIT testing worldwide.

Janet brings expertise in colorectal cancer treatment, clinical trials, precision medicine and cancer service leadership.

Professor Janet Graham is a Consultant Medical Oncologist and GI Team Lead at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, and Honorary Professor at the University of Glasgow. Janet specialises in gastrointestinal cancers, including colorectal cancer, with a particular focus on ensuring patients have access to clinical trials. She's the Clinical Lead for the West of Scotland Colorectal Managed Clinical Network and co-leads the Glasgow Colorectal Collaborative, bringing together clinical, translational and preclinical colorectal cancer research. Janet has played a leading role in the development of molecular testing for bowel cancer in the West of Scotland and is involved in clinical trials spanning early to late-phase research, including targeted treatment for BRAF-mutant colorectal cancer. 

Eva brings expertise in health data, epidemiology and improving bowel cancer outcomes through research and evidence.

Professor Eva Morris is Professor of Health Data Epidemiology at the University of Oxford's Big Data Institute and Oxford Population Health. Eva is one of the UK's leading experts in the use of health data to improve cancer outcomes, with a particular focus on colorectal cancer. Her research uses linked national NHS datasets to understand variation in diagnosis, treatment and outcomes, helping identify opportunities to improve bowel cancer services and reduce inequalities in care. She co-leads HDR UK Oxford Region and the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre's Translational Data Science theme, leading collaborative research that translates data into improvements in clinical practice and health policy. 

Heather brings expertise in primary care, earlier diagnosis and cancer service transformation.

Dr Heather Wilkes is a GP in South Wales and National Rapid Diagnosis Centre Lead for the NHS Wales Executive. Heather has spent more than 30 years in primary care and has played a leading role in improving cancer pathways and earlier diagnosis across Wales. Following a fact-finding visit to Denmark, she established Wales' first Rapid Diagnosis Clinic in Swansea Bay before leading the national rollout of Rapid Diagnosis Centres across every Welsh health board. Heather has also helped shape colorectal cancer diagnostic pathways and wider cancer service improvement, including serving as Deputy Clinical Lead for the NHS Wales Cancer Recovery Programme. Her work focuses on improving earlier diagnosis and reducing delays for people with suspected cancer. 

Filipe brings expertise in colorectal nursing, survivorship, hereditary cancer, and service improvement.

Filipe Carvalho is Nurse Consultant in Colorectal Disease and Trust Lead for Non-Medical Prescribing at Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. With more than 19 years' experience in oncology and colorectal care, Filipe has led the development of innovative nurse-led services spanning bowel cancer diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, and hereditary cancer pathways. He chairs the colorectal multidisciplinary team and co-leads bowel cancer services at Homerton Healthcare. Nationally, Filipe is Chair of the National Colorectal Cancer Nurses Network, representing more than 1,000 bowel cancer nurse specialists across the UK and supporting workforce development and service improvement. He's also an Honorary Senior Lecturer, has published widely in colorectal cancer care and was awarded Bowel Cancer UK's Gary Logue Colorectal Cancer Nurse of the Year Award. 

Ethna brings expertise in health economics, bowel cancer screening, inequalities and cancer service evaluation.

Dr Ethna McFerran is a Cancer Health Economist at Queen’s University Belfast and Health Data Research UK Fellow. With over a decade of previous experience in oncology nursing, including a specialist oncology research nurse, Ethna brings both clinical and health economics expertise to her research. Her PhD focused on the health economics of colorectal cancer screening. Ethna’s current work uses economic evaluation, modelling and real-world health data to examine bowel cancer screening, inequalities in access and outcomes and cancer service delivery. She recently worked with our charity and the Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland to evaluate an intervention to improve screening participation among previous non-responders in disadvantaged communities. She also contributes health-economic modelling and budget-impact analysis to inform the planning and delivery of bowel cancer screening expansion. 

Anisha brings expertise in primary care, lived experience, public engagement and earlier diagnosis.

Dr Anisha Patel is an NHS GP Partner with a specialist interest in cancer awareness, earlier diagnosis and women's health. Following her own diagnosis of stage 3 bowel cancer at the age of 39, Anisha has become a passionate advocate for improving awareness, earlier diagnosis and the long-term care of people living with and beyond bowel cancer. Alongside her clinical practice, she's a health communicator, broadcaster and author of Everything You'd Hoped You'd Never Need to Know About Bowel Cancer, helping make evidence-based health information accessible to the public. Anisha is also a Bowel Cancer UK Ambassador and Lead Patient Advocate for Team Prospect, an international Cancer Grand Challenges research programme investigating the rise in early-onset colorectal cancer. 

Richard brings expertise in gastrointestinal oncology, clinical trials and translational research.

Professor Richard Wilson is Professor of Gastrointestinal Oncology at the University of Glasgow and Honorary Consultant Medical Oncologist at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre. Richard is an internationally recognised expert in lower gastrointestinal cancers and experimental cancer medicine. He's led numerous national and international clinical trials and translational research programmes, helping bring innovative treatments from the laboratory into clinical practice. Throughout his career, Richard has established and led major cancer research initiatives, including the Northern Ireland Cancer Trials Network and the Belfast Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre. He's passionate about improving outcomes for people affected by bowel cancer through research, innovation and the development of future cancer clinicians and researchers.