The NHS is still here to help you

The coronavirus pandemic has put a lot of pressure on the NHS. But they are still there to help you when you need it.

If you are worried about a symptom that could be cancer, you should contact your GP.

It is probably nothing serious, but if it is cancer, finding it early makes it easier to treat and can save lives.

 

The NHS have made the following easy read guides to help you learn more about cancer screening and different types of cancer.

Further information

The information in the following two Easy Reads is from the charity The Eve Appeal - a UK charity funding research and raising awareness into the five gynaecological cancers: womb, ovarian, cervical, vulval and vaginal):

Human papillomavirus (HPV) 

The cervical cancer screening test (Smear test)

About the cervical screening test

In this video, as part of Cervical Cancer Prevention Week in January, Ciara, who has a learning disability , tells us about when she had a cervical screening test.

Bowel cancer

What is bowel cancer?

Bowel cancer is a type of disease which some people may get during their lifetime.

It can be very serious.

Your bowel is inside your body and connects your stomach to your bottom.

What is bowel cancer screening?

Bowel cancer screening means testing people for signs of bowel cancer to see if they have it.

This is offered to all people in the UK who are aged 60 to 74 and are registered with their GP.

Bowel cancer screening helps find any problems earlier, which means they can be treated quicker before they get more serious.

You will be sent a test to do at home and it is your choice if you want to do it or not.

This NHS easy read guide explains more about bowel cancer screening and what to do as part of the home test (PDF).

What is a colonoscopy?

Some people may be invited for a colonoscopy once they have done the bowel cancer screening test at home.

This usually happens if traces of blood have been found in your test sample.

A colonoscopy looks inside your bowel to help find bowel cancer.

The colonoscopy is usually done at a hospital.

This NHS easy read guides explains what will happen if you are invited for a colonoscopy (PDF).

How to do the bowel cancer screening test

Watch this Cancer Research UK video to find out how to do the test including how to collect the sample and what happens after the test.

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