The Department of Health's national bowel cancer awareness campaign will run from 30 January 2012 to the end of March.

Bowel cancer affects both men and women. Nine out of ten people diagnosed with the disease are over 50 and those with a family history of bowel cancer are more at risk.

You can reduce the likelihood of getting bowel cancer by adopting a healthy lifestyle.

Regular bowel cancer screening has been shown to reduce deaths from bowel cancer by 16%. Find out more about the bowel cancer screening programme.

If you are a doctor or a practice manager we have a number of Be Clear on Cancer resources available to you about the campaign and bowel cancer itself.

To read more about the campaign and to access the resources for primary care then please visit http://www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk/be-clear-on-cancer-bowel/

Every year, another 340,000 children in the UK are tempted to try smoking. And evidence suggests that they are more likely to be attracted by designed tobacco packs, than by plain packs.

The Government is due to launch a public consultation in Spring 2012 on whether the UK should adopt the plain packaging of tobacco products.

Help protect our children by signing up today. It’s quick and easy, and your support will be fed through to the national consultation.

Please visit http://www.plainpacksprotect.co.uk to learn more about why it is important to have plain packaging but to also sign the petition!

http://www.plainpacksprotect.co.uk - Resources: Stop Smoking

Cervical Screening Wales is joining forces with a leading Welsh cancer charity, in a bid to encourage women to attend for smear tests.

The NHS screening programme is linking up with Tenovus during January to promote European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week (ECCP), an annual event which encourages women to take up the offer of screening in their own country.

A Road Show, mounted in partnership with Tenovus, will be taking to the streets of Wales to highlight the importance of attending for a smear test.

Latest statistics show that coverage for women in the target age group is 76.4% in Wales, with health officials keen for women to take up the offer of free screening, which is offered every three years between the ages of 20 and 64.

Although cervical cancer can affect women of all ages, it is the second most common cause of cancer in women under the age of 35. So to promote ECCP Week 2012, the screening programme will be spreading it’s message at universities across Wales.

Screening staff will be on board the huge Tenovus chemotherapy mobile unit as it visits three universities during January, to offer advice, information and free goody bags.  Students, staff and members of the public will also be able to have a free health check, carried out on the unit by Tenovus staff.

The unit will be based at the following locations for one day only, and will be open to the general public, as well as students and staff:

• Monday, January 9th: Merthyr Tydfil College

• Monday, January 16th: Aberystwyth University

• Monday, January 30th: Glyndwr University, Wrexham

Screening Engagement Specialist, Alison Clement commented: “Cervical Screening Wales has supported ECCP Week for the past three years, by providing community information packs for venues such as sexual health clinics, nightclubs and colleges.

“This year, in addition to our information mail out, we are delighted to be teaming up with Tenovus to take our Campaign to three universities in Wales. As well as students and staff, members of the public will also be very welcome to come along.”

The Campaign is the latest in a series of health promotion initiatives by Cervical Screening Wales, which include a recently launched Facebook page, together with digital stories of real life experiences on ‘You Tube’.

Bryan Rose, All-Wales Programme Manager for Cervical Screening Wales stressed the importance of testing: “Regular smear tests are the most effective way of detecting abnormal, pre-cancerous cells, before they possibly turn into cancer. The test doesn’t just catch cancer early, but can actually prevent cancer from developing.

“Around 1,500 women die from cervical cancer in the UK every year, but we know that screening saves more than 1,000 lives a year.”

• For further information about smear tests and cervical cancer visit: www.screeningservices.org/csw

• The Cervical Screening Wales TV advert and participant digital stories can be viewed on You Tube:  www.youtube.com/cervicalscreeningwal

• www.tenovus.org.uk

Can You Think Like A Patient?

EyeForPharma.com is helping to find the next big thing when it comes to an App to help teenage cancer patients manager their condition and make their lives easier.

Below is a brief introduction from their website so please head on over to www.mobilehealthcomp.com for all the info about the competition but to also submit your idea.

"To succeed, you'll need to describe your idea for a mobile application intended to help teenage cancer patients. The winning idea will enable these patients to manage their condition and make their lives easier.

eyeforpharma has teamed up with several teenage cancer survivors and charitable partners to launch this competition. Below is a short video which explains our story. Ultimately, teenage cancer patients and survivors are the ones who will take the final decision on which idea will win!

If you would like to keep up-to-date with entries as they arrive, click here.
The closing date for entries is January 10th 2012."

www.MobileHealthComp.com