MSP Monica Lennon urges people to familiarise themselves with symptoms of bowel cancer

Central Scotland MSP Monica Lennon is highlighting the death of a young man from Harthill less than two weeks after being diagnosed with bowel cancer in a bid to raise more awareness of the symptoms of the illness.

With the shocking statistic that almost four in 10 people cannot name a single symptom of bowel cancer, the Labour MSP is encouraging constituents across Lanarkshire to familiarise themselves with the symptoms of the condition during Bowel Cancer Awareness Month.

Ms Lennon is using Bowel Cancer Awareness Month to highlight the symptoms so that more people can be diagnosed earlier when it is more treatable and curable.

It’s a cause close to the heart of the MSP, after working closely with the family of Ryan Brown, who at the age of 23, was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer, having suffered with ulcerative colitis for over a decade.

Ryan was very aware of the symptoms of bowel cancer and pushed for regular check-ups with his GP and IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) nurse. Unfortunately, due to his age and medical history, his symptoms were initially dismissed and his cancer was identified far too late.

Ryan tragically died 13 days after his diagnosis. The Brown family, including Ryan’s twin sister Hope, want to highlight that bowel cancer can be more aggressive and spread more rapidly in younger people, but often it is found too late.

They want to ensure that people under 50 know the signs and symptoms and that healthcare professionals are more aware of how this disease can impact younger people.