"If you enter into the spirit of the challenge you'll thoroughly enjoy it"

David Lazzari, aged 75 Lincolnshire

My first experience of bowel cancer was when it claimed my mother's life back in 1989. She had been in and out of hospital for nearly a year. I remember that she was treated with radiotherapy.

My second experience was when it affected my own health. I was diagnosed with bowel cancer in August 2021. I had no symptoms but had been doing the 'poo in the post' test for several years! This is where tiny bits of blood that are invisible to the naked eye, can be detected. Following my results I had a colonoscopy at hospital and two polyps were found. A benign one was removed during the colonoscopy. Then on 20 December 2021, I had a right hemicolectomy.

The operation was a complete success and I was discharged on Christmas Eve and taken to my daughter's house to recuperate. My partner Wendy was already there. It was surreal but very enjoyable being pitched into family Christmas celebrations the following day.

I signed up for Step up for 30 because I wanted to do something connected with bowel cancer and I wanted to raise some money for such a fantastic charity.

I enjoyed doing Step up for 30 immensely. I decided that walking would be my activity as I was already familiar with walking for exercise. I joined the Facebook group and really enjoyed this.

I posted an update each day and loved to read other peoples’ posts. My theme was walking my daughter's West-Highland White Terrier called Alfie. I found that people related to this.

Some people in the group were not in as good health as myself, so I realised how really lucky I had been that my cancer had been caught early.

My advice to anyone who is considering taking part in Step up for 30 in the future is to do it. If you enter into the spirit of the challenge you will thoroughly enjoy it. I would advise others to join the Facebook group, where you can hear from others who have signed up to take part. There's whole host of support both from the moderators and the people doing the challenge in a friendly and helpful group.

Emma Richards aged 40, Gloucester

I lost a work colleague to bowel cancer in December 2021. Weeks later a close member of my family was diagnosed with stage 4 incurable bowel cancer. It was a total bolt out of the blue as they only had mild stomach pain after eating as a presenting symptom. I decided there and then that I wanted to do something to help raise money for Bowel Cancer UK. I knew it couldn't help my family member but it may help others.

I have multiple sclerosis and my mobility is very impacted but when I found the Step up for 30 challenge, I knew I could get creative and do it. I decided to make sure I did 30 minutes of exercise every day of April, and considering I hadn't done any exercise for years, I knew it would be a tough challenge. So I started doing seated workouts and yoga, walking up and down my hallway with my walker, and riding a special exercise bike.

I posted videos daily on the Facebook group for Step up for 30, mainly for my own accountability, but I received lovely comments and motivation from the group. What a lovely supportive community.

I raised £713, well over my target, so knowing I have made a difference, no matter how small, was motivation enough. But, after all that exercise, I've also seen some improvements in my own health.

If you are unsure whether to do anything like this, don't be. It was truly a humbling, memorable experience and I recommend it to anyone.

Sophia Padman-Rattu, London

My father was unfortunately diagnosed with bowel cancer in September 2021. This was a shock for us as a family, we were heartbroken.

So I signed up for Step up for 30 as I wanted to raise awareness of bowel cancer. I wanted to give back to the charity through fundraising and telling everyone about it, and also it helped me deal with my father being diagnosed. I didn't want any of my friends or family to go through what we was going through as a family and I knew spreading the message about how being diagnosed at an early stage can save lives was a must.

I challenged myself to walking and cycling 100 miles within the 30 day period. I set my target of raising £500 for Bowel Cancer UK. I am very thankful to everyone who sponsored me as I smashed my target and raised £1,200. The challenge helped me focus on the positives, I felt by raising awareness about the charity it might stop people close to me going through what we were going through as a family.

I would really encourage everyone and anyone to join a fundraising event. We need to work together to raise as much awareness about cancer as possible, so we can find a cure and come together as a community to stop this awful disease that affects so many people on a daily basis.