The NHS in Leeds, along with Leeds City Council, have launched a campaign to raise awareness of bowel cancer and how important it is for people to complete and return their bowel cancer screening kit.

In Leeds the testing kit is posted out to people aged between 60 and 69. Completing and returning your testing kit could save your life as it gives us the chance to detect the disease in its early stages.

Things that increase your risk of getting bowel cancer include:

• Age:Around 72% of people diagnosed with bowel cancer are over 65
• Diet:A diet high in fibre and low in saturated fat could reduce your bowel cancer risk, a diet high in red or processed meats can increase your risk
• Healthy Weight:Leaner people are less likely to develop bowel cancer than obese people
• Exercise:Being inactive increases the risk of getting bowel cancer
• Alcohol & Smoking:High alcohol intake and smoking may increase your chances of getting bowel cancer
• Family history and inherited conditions:Having a close relative with bowel cancer puts you at much greater risk of developing the disease.
• Related Conditions:having certain bowel conditions can put you more at risk of getting bowel cancer