Warrington dad urges people to use their bowel cancer home testing kit, after stage three cancer caught

A dad from Warrington who was diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer following an NHS bowel screening test, despite having no symptoms, has urged others to take up the offer of screening when invited. 

Steve Hollington, 58, who works as a musician on cruise ships has reworked one of Elton John’s most famous songs in a video to help raise awareness of the importance of bowel screening, as part of Bowel Cancer Awareness. 

Steve, who was diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer in 2022 after completing his first bowel screening – the Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) – says that it was a “winning lottery ticket” that the kit landed on his doormat.

The FIT kit is a test you can do at home that detects small amounts of blood in poo that would not be visible to people and detects earlier if there is something wrong.  

Shortly after returning the completed kit, the NHS contacted Steve to say further investigation was required, and after a colonoscopy, two tumours were found in his bowel.  He said: “I could see at that point, that whatever the doctor had come across didn’t look good. After an MRI and a CT scan, I received the news confirming that it was, indeed, bowel cancer, which completely took me by surprise as I didn’t have a single symptom.” 

On December 9, 2022, within weeks of the diagnosis, Steve underwent surgery on his bowel and was fitted with a stoma post-surgery to allow his bowel to heal. Eighteen lymph nodes were also removed, and now Steve is halfway through a three-month course of chemotherapy.  

Steve said:

“There were some really worrying and emotional times, but I’ve tried to remain positive. I feel like I’m over the worst parts of it, the surgery has removed the tumours, the chemotherapy will hopefully mop up any of the cancerous cells and after the course has finished, hopefully I will be able to have a stoma reversal.” 

Steve said that he realises that the fear of knowing that you have cancer can be scary and overwhelming but said: “It’s a no-brainer for me. I had no symptoms, I would have carried on not knowing had I have not taken the test, and leaving it so long would have almost certainly been too late to receive the treatment I have. 

“Taking the bowel screening kit has saved my life, and potentially given me 20 more years to live it.” 

Latest North West data shows that 68.3% of eligible 60 to 74-year-olds were screened within six months of receiving their invite in 2021/22, which is below the national average of 70.3%. It means that more than one in three eligible people in the region did not return their completed test kits.  People aged 60 to 74 years who are registered with a GP practice and live in England are automatically sent a FIT kit every two years. As part of plans to lower the age of people that receive the test to age 50 by 2025, 56-year-olds are sent the test kit and it is currently being rolled out to 54-year-olds 

Dr Michael Gregory, Medical Director for NHS England – North West said: 

“Stories like Steve’s are testament to the benefits of completing and returning the FIT kit, as soon as the NHS sends it to you – we can detect bowel cancer early, before it’s symptomatic and when it is more treatable.  

“We know that some people are hesitant when it comes to using the bowel screening kit, whether that is because they are prudish about poo or fearful of what the test might find, but catching bowel cancer before it spreads can reduce the risk of dying and make treatment so much more manageable. 

“The FIT kit is a vital part of our screening programme, so I’d urge anyone who has received a kit but has yet to return it to not put it off.” 

Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK, and the second biggest cancer killer. But the chances of surviving bowel cancer are much higher when it’s found at an early stage.  

The NHS has recently run a bowel screening awareness campaign to increase uptake of the home testing kit, to ensure more people are diagnosed with bowel cancer at the earliest stage, when they’re nine times more likely to survive. TV adverts showed how quick and convenient it is to complete the test, with the message “Put it by the loo. Don’t put it off.” Although uptake of bowel screening has improved, data shows that almost a third of people who have received the test have not returned it.  

Dr Ash Bassi, Consultant Gastroenterologist at St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: 

“Bowel screening uptake in the North West is one of the lowest in the country and yet incidence of bowel cancer is one of the highest. Only around 10 to 15% of our patients come via the screening route and the rest come forward when they have symptoms.  

“I’d like to see that change completely because the outcome is best for those who come via the screening route.” 

People concerned that they may have missed their invitation or have lost or thrown away their kit can call the free bowel cancer screening helpline for advice on 0800 707 60 60. Information on bowel cancer and the screening programme can be found here.