Bowel cancer: Son left to care for siblings urges more screening

Elliot Coleman is raising his teenage siblings after their mum died from bowel cancer in April

A man left to raise his teenage siblings after their mum's death from bowel cancer has urged more people to get screened for the disease.

Sue Coleman from Leeds died in April after having bowel cancer for five years. She was diagnosed with a stage four tumour aged 50.

Son Elliot, 32, is caring for sister Chloe, 16, and brother Henry, 15.

The NHS says a third of people in Yorkshire do not take up invitations for bowel cancer screening.

Mr Coleman said his mum, who spent her last six months in hospital and a hospice, "warmed up any room she was in".

"I can never fulfil my mum's role but I'll do my utmost to do what she did," he said.

"All she ever did was care for her children, she put us before herself so I'm willing to do that for my brother and sister.

"If I can share my story and what I've been through... if it saves one person's life, then it's worth doing."

Campaigners say people are "embarrassed" to talk about bowel habits but the earlier the cancer is detected, the more likely it is treatable and curable

Every year 3,500 people in Yorkshire are diagnosed with bowel cancer but a third of people invited for screening do not take up the invitations.

Medics say if bowel cancer is caught early it can often be successfully treated.

"People feel a little bit embarrassed to talk about bowels and their bowel habits," said Genevieve Edwards, of Bowel Cancer UK.

"That's a real shame because the earlier bowel cancer is detected, it's treatable, it's curable. Most people will survive stage one bowel cancer."

Bowel cancer symptoms include a persistent change in bowel habit - pooing more often, with looser, runnier poos and sometimes tummy (abdominal) pain; blood in the poo without other symptoms of piles (haemorrhoids), or abdominal pain, discomfort or bloating always brought on by eating. (Source: NHS).

Deborah James was diagnosed with cancer in 2016

Bowel cancer charity Bowel Cancer UK said there has been a "huge increase" in people visiting its website for advice, while doctors in Leeds told the BBC there has been a 30% increase in GP referrals recently, which they put down to the Dame Deborah James's podcast You, Me and the Big C.

Ms James, who is now receiving hospice-at-home care for bowel cancer, was given a damehood by Prince William at home in May.