Bowel Cancer Awareness Month 2025

Is your bowel cancer screening kit sitting at the back of a drawer?

If you’re 54 to 74, you should have received your NHS bowel cancer screening (FIT) kit through the post. That’s because the NHS automatically sends a kit every two years to everyone in that age range and is gradually including people aged 50 to 53 too.

Out of every 5,000 people who use their test kit, nine turn out to have cancer. But if it’s spotted earlier, the chances of recovering from bowel cancer are higher.

The test can be done in the comfort of your home and only needs a tiny sample of poo to test for signs of cancer.

April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month so there’s no better time to dig out the bowel cancer testing kit that you hid in that bottom drawer or look out for it in the post. And then put it by the loo. Don’t put it off.

Find out more about bowel cancer screening at nhs.uk/bowel.