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Lauren Backler has turned the devastation of losing her mum to bowel cancer in 2015, into an amazing campaign to get the bowel cancer screening age in England, Wales and Northern Ireland reduced form 60 to 50. In Scotland the screening age is already at 50. The campaign and petition have taken off in such a massive way, leading Lauren to be featured across the national media, and even speaking at Westminster. If the screening age was to be reduced from 60 to 50, over 4,000 people could have their bowel cancer detected at a much earlier stage, giving them a much greater chance of survival. Lauren's mother would have been screened a number of times if this had been the case, and most likely still be here today. Unfortunately by the time she was diagnosed her condition was terminal, and she lived for just a few months. Lauren's online petition has, to date, got over 400,000 signatures, and it's about time the Government put this right! It's ever so easy to do, and takes just a minute or two of your time, so please support the petition here.
Lauren very kindly agreed to meet me in London back in August to take part in my new fundraising book, which I am hoping to have finished, or close to being so, by the end of the year. In this photo she happily posed with the bowel cancer tie to help raise awareness, and I had a specific idea in mind of the photo I wanted to take for the book with Lauren, as we were able to use Buckingham Palace as the backdrop. It's one of those photos that I can't wait for everyone to see, as it came out just as I hoped it would.
I've met so many amazing people on my book writing adventures, and Lauren was another one of those, a true inspiration. She is a very kind, giving and generous person, but also with a steely determination to achieve a successful outcome to her campaign. Although the reasons why I come into contact with so many people for the book are based on a common loss, and sadness due to bowel cancer, the wonderful thing is how new friendships are being made with some very special people.
It's just over 18 months since my Mum passed away from bowel cancer. 41,000 people are diagnosed each year with 16,000 losing their lives to it every year, making it the second highest cancer killer in the UK. If detected early is is very treatable in over 90% of cases, so raising awareness about it is so very important...
Please don't forget to sign Lauren's petiton! She is also running the London Marathon raising funds for Beating Bowel Cancer / Bowel Cancer UK, and you can sponsor her on her justgiving page.
