SAFC Know the Score - do you?

This April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month and Sunderland AFC and Foundation of Light are supporting the eighth annual Know the Score campaign. Bowel cancer is the UK’s fourth most common cancer, with over 41,200 new cases each year. It’s also the second biggest cancer killer and every 90 minutes three people die of the disease. That’s 44 people each day – the equivalent to four football teams – but it doesn’t need to be that way. Bowel cancer is treatable and curable especially if diagnosed early. Over 95% of bowel cancer patients will survive the disease for five years or more if diagnosed at the earliest stage. Symptoms of bowel cancer can include:

• Bleeding from your bottom/or blood in your poo
• A change in bowel habit lasting three weeks or more
• Extreme tiredness for no obvious reason
• A pain or a lump in your tummy
• Unexplained weight loss

Most people with these symptoms won’t have bowel cancer, but if you have one of more of these, or things just don’t feel right, visit your doctor. You’re not wasting anyone’s time by getting it checked out. If it’s not serious, your mind will be eased, and if it is bowel cancer, the earlier you are diagnosed the better the chance of successful treatment and cure. A trip to your doctor could save your life.  

Bowel cancer can affect both males and females at any age so it’s really important everyone is aware of the symptoms as early as possible.

Paddy McNair

Throughout football 'Star of Hope' badges are being worn during the campaign, which is supported by the Professional Footballers' Association, League Managers Association, Men's Health Forum, The Bobby Moore Fund, Adam Stansfield Foundation, Beating Bowel Cancer, Bowel Cancer UK and Know the Score's founding charity, the Mr Brightside Project.