A short issue play. Bowel cancer is the third most common form of cancer in the UK and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the country with 80% of cases occurring in people over sixty.

The play was commisioned by the Camden NHS and premiered at the London Irish Centre Health Day, 2nd April '09 starring Becky King and Jemima Hamilton.

There is now free screening for the over sixties. Everyone over sixty will receive a free test kit in the post. The test kit in itself won't tell you if you have bowel cancer but will indicate whether you will need further testing or not.      

No cancers are fully understood, although bowel cancer is thought to be caused by the foodstuff collected in the bowel. The lining of the bowel is made up of cells and sometimes these cells can clump together to form polyps. These polyps are often quite harmless but they can bleed and they can become cancerous. Hence the need for screening. Hence the need for a healthy lifestyle in the first place. Hence the need for a play like Bowel Cancer which explores a whole range of issues relating to this disease.
 
The point of early screening is to catch the cancer before it catches us. The point of screening the over sixties is to detect signs and symptoms before they become obvious. People may be at risk and not even know it. And the point of today is to get the message out.

The play was first commissioned by the Camden NHS in partnership with the London Irish Centre and was premiered on 2nd April 2009 as part of a Healthy Living event. A two-handed performance lasting 20 minutes, the play takes a humourous approach to a serious subject and is designed to take away the fear, apprehension and embarrassment of being tested. With everyone over sixty getting a test kit in the post, it is important to take the test seriously.