Bowel Cancer Awareness Month 2026 – Health & Wellbeing Communication
Dear Colleagues,
Bowel Cancer UK #PassItOn campaign
April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month. When diagnosed early, nine in ten people survive bowel cancer. That’s why Bowel Cancer UK are asking everyone to help them raise awareness of the disease, so everyone has the best chance of an early diagnosis.
There are so many ways to get involved, such as: Share the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer within your workplace networks, attend an online awareness talk given by a volunteer with real life experience of bowel cancer or promote the #PassItOn campaign where people share experiences and advice about bowel cancer, by aiming to: –
- Provide support to those affected by bowel cancer.
- Raise further awareness of bowel cancer symptoms.
- Inspire support through shared
#PassItOn Story Wall | Bowel Cancer UK
Recent research reveals that 35% of adults in Great Britain cannot identify a single symptom of bowel cancer, which is the second deadliest cancer in the UK.
Signs and symptoms of bowel cancer | Bowel Cancer UK
If diagnosed early Bowel cancer is treatable and curable. Nearly everyone survives bowel cancer if diagnosed at the earliest stage. Anyone can help make early diagnosis possible, there are still opportunities to become a Bowel cancer awareness champion either in the workplace or the community.
Bowel Cancer Awareness Month Champion | Bowel Cancer UK
Bowel Cancer UK also have a research and influencing blog, which can be viewed via this link Research and influencing blog | Bowel Cancer UK this is where the latest research and campaigns updates, summaries of recent findings and explore key issues affecting people with bowel cancer are shared. This is also where CWU members can view and share information from medical experts and access further information and resources.
A CWU sway awareness webpage has also been designed for quick forward sharing on mobile devices and for accessing an optional workplace toolkit.
Guts UK is not a widely known charity; however, they do provide information and support for people affected by all types of digestive conditions and symptoms. They are the only UK charity that funds research into the whole digestive system and currently provide information and support on more than 40 digestive conditions and symptoms.
As well as promoting awareness of Bowel Cancer Awareness month in April, they also keenly promote the following awareness Days & weeks in April for other digestive conditions.
Bowel Cancer Awareness Month – Guts UK
Microscopic Colitis Awareness Week – Guts UK
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Awareness Month – Guts UK
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) Awareness Day – Guts UK
Bowel screening programmes
It is also relevant to point out that there are separate bowel screening programmes for each UK nation, whereby eligible people are invited to take part in these programmes as follows.
England: people aged 50 -74 years who are registered with a GP
Scotland: people aged 50 -74 years with a CHI (Community Health Index) number
Wales: people aged 50-74 years who are registered with a GP
Northern Ireland: people aged 60-74 years who are registered with a GP
Finally, LTB 219/25 The ‘Just Can’t Wait’ card scheme was issued in October 2025 as a reminder to colleagues with bladder and bowel conditions that they can discreetly access certain toilets in public places when urgently needed. This card can be issued for the conditions mentioned above, which will be covered by the 2010 Equality Act (Disability Discrimination Act in the case of Northern Ireland), as such, individual reasonable adjustments applications could also be made under the Act to further support any individual’s needs.
This LTB is shared on behalf of CWU Central Services.
If you have any questions or need any further information, please contact:
Jamie McGovern FRSPH MIIAI
CWU Health & Safety Policy Assistant at jmcgovern@cwu.org
CWU Eastern No5 Branch 
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