Our Early Diagnosis Programme is now well underway

We have now launched our new Early Diagnosis Programme across the country to help more cases of bowel cancer get diagnosed earlier. 

From June 2026, our Early Diagnosis Programme has been running in five locations: 

• Birmingham: West, Central and East Birmingham 

• Croydon: New Addington, Selhurst, Thornton Heath and West Thornton 

• Cornwall: Penzance, Redruth, Camborne and Hayle 

• Greater Glasgow and Clyde: Glasgow City and Inverclyde 

• Neath Port Talbot: Port Talbot, Neath and Upper Valleys towns 

We chose these locations as data showed that they all have a high number of people diagnosed with bowel cancer at the later stages (stages 3 and 4), when the disease is less treatable and curable.  

Research also revealed significant gaps in people’s awareness of key symptoms in these areas. For example, while over nine in 10 (91%) people surveyed in Cornwall could recognise at least one symptom of bowel cancer, almost six in 10 (58%) did not recognise a pain or lump in their tummy as a potential symptom. 

Early diagnosis saves lives, so this 12-month programme seeks to tackle the common barriers by combining sustained awareness-raising activities with increased support for local healthcare professionals. In Greater Glasgow and Clyde our focus is on increasing participation in the NHS Bowel Screening Programme for eligible people aged 50-74, as the area has the lowest participation rate in Scotland. 

The programme is funded nationally by the Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK, with additional support from Moondance Cancer Initiative in Wales and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in Scotland. 

Highlights from each location  

From June to October, we have been launching our Early Diagnosis Programme in each location. The launches in each location have been a great success and have included interviews with our storytellers, our spokespeople, and local colorectal healthcare professionals. Highlights include: 

• Birmingham: We received coverage in Birmingham Live, the city’s largest online newspaper, along with an exclusive interview with Greatest Hits Radio. 

• Croydon: Our launch featured on ITV News London, along with the regional news sections of Good Morning Britain. 

• Greater Glasgow and Clyde: Our launch appeared on STV News at Six, Scotland's top news programme, along with BBC Radio Scotland.  

• Cornwall: Our launch featured on BBC’s regional TV news programme Spotlight. A story also appeared on BBC News Online.   

• Wales/Neath Port Talbot: We appeared on ITV Wales’ 6pm news programme, along with an interview with Greatest Hits Radio South Wales.
   

What’s happening now 

Over the coming months, our Early Diagnosis Programme will carry out community events and awareness activities in each area, along with engagement with healthcare professionals to support earlier diagnosis. 

Andy Glyde, Strategy, Impact and Insight Lead at Bowel Cancer UK, says: “We know there is more we can do to support people in these areas to recognise symptoms, seek advice and take part in bowel cancer screening. This programme gives us an opportunity to work alongside local communities and healthcare professionals to understand the barriers people face and find practical ways to overcome them. 

“We want this work to have a lasting impact beyond the next 12 months, with people feeling more confident about their health, communities better equipped to talk about bowel cancer, and healthcare professionals supported to spot and investigate symptoms earlier. Ultimately, we want more people in these five areas to have the best possible chance of being diagnosed at an earlier stage.”

How you can get involved 

We can't do this without the support of our incredible community. Help us make early diagnosis a reality and save lives. 

If you live or work in Birmingham, Croydon, Cornwall, Greater Glasgow and Clyde or Neath Port Talbot: 

• We need lots of volunteers to help with running awareness activities, putting up posters and more. 

• Sharing your experience of bowel cancer can help raise awareness of the disease in your area. 

• If you’re a health professional, like a nurse, GP or pharmacist, we can offer practical support and tools to increase your knowledge of bowel cancer. 
  
  

Don’t live near these areas? 

• We have plenty of other opportunities for you to support our work. You can take on a fundraising challenge, share your experience of bowel cancer and we’re always posting new volunteering opportunities. 
• If you’re a health professional, you can access our training and resources to support your professional development. 
• Or sign up to our e-newsletter to hear the latest news and updates.