“At 37 years old I was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer and shocked to find out that they don’t even start screening for this until you’re over 60! I had a colonoscopy less than 2 years ago and there was no blockage found in the bowel, so this has started and spread during this time.

What I thought was the start of a ‘dad bod’ was actually bloating from the tumour, and my belly was hard and didn’t have any wobble. The only symptom I had was back pain which is what brought me to the doctors.

If you feel anything unusual going on with your body, please go and request a test.

Don’t waste a second.” - Daniel Matthews

Currently in the UK, the standard screening age for Bowel Cancer starts at 60. In total, 54% of Bowel Cancer cases can be preventable. Let’s improve this number by lowering the standard screening age to 35.

Please help me to campaign towards lowering the standard age of Bowel Cancer testing by signing this petition. Let’s save the lives of young people being diagnosed with this disease every year.

Thank you.

*UPDATE* Daniel Matthews, my husband and the starter of this petition died from bowel cancer shortly after we set up this page, a mere 10 weeks after his diagnosis, aged 37. With an earlier diagnosis, he would have lived. It is imperative the age of screening be lowered.

Thank you to those who have signed this petition.

Meg Matthews