“This innovative social marketing campaign, co-created with local residents, was a real ‘game changer’. It had a demonstrable impact on behaviour, resulting in increased symptom awareness and referrals along with actual cancer diagnoses. The campaign made a significant difference to the lives of many residents.”   Sam Woodhouse, Communications Manager, Marketing and Campaigns, NHS Outer North East London

Too many people are dying from bowel cancer in Outer North East London, and across the country, because they’re diagnosed too late. Our mission was to help increase early diagnosis of the disease by raising public and health professional awareness and reducing the barriers preventing people seeing the GP.

Men and women over 50 years old are more at risk of bowel cancer. But local residents had very low awareness of its symptoms. And the majority of men exhibited denial and embarrassment about problems ‘down there’. These were major obstacles. People also said they wanted a straight talking campaign with no humour or 'fancy stuff'. This was 'too serious an issue to beat around the bush with.'  It was clear that we needed a 'Ronseal' campaign - bold, clear and 'did what it said on the tin.'

‘Plain-speaking’ advertising created with local people really worked. This was backed by an ‘ambassador army’ including cancer survivors, charity staff and pharmacists who signposted people with symptoms to see the GP. The ‘Big Bowel’ inflatable exhibition intrigued the public whilst out shopping, and a ‘symptom checker card’ was mailed to 50-59 year olds. And we linked up with Coral bookmakers who distributed campaign materials on the 'good odds' of beating bowel cancer if it's diagnosed early.

Public awareness of bowel cancer grew and over half of local GPs and pharmacists saw an increase in people presenting with possible bowel cancer symptoms during the campaign. Crucially the number of people with suspected bowel cancer referred (by GPs) for further tests increased by over 40% during the campaign period. In one major local hospital the number of urgent referrals from GPs grew by an astonishing 600%.