Students Aim to Raise Awareness of Bowel Cancer Among Young People

A team of university studnets who are fundraising for people affected by bowel cancer are to hold a series of fundraising events early in 2016.

The students, who are part of Glyndwr University’s BSc (Hons) Health, Wellbeing and Community course will be holding a raffle at The Ironworks, High Street, on Thursday February 11th between 6pm to 9pm.

All proceeds raised from the evening will go towards Beating Bowel Cancer, the support and campaigning charity for people affected by bowel cancer.

Prizes on the night will include signed photos from celebrities including Russell Brand, Russell Grant and James May, plus cinema tickets and restaurant vouchers.

The students have been supporting Beating Bowel Cancer since March when they completed a sponsored zip-wire ride at ZipWorld, raising more than £675.

The team includes Samantha Boast, 23, of Stoke-on-Trent; 20-year-old Amy Holton, of Portsmouth; Stephanie Warren, 21, from Essex; Keely O’Hara, 22, from Northern Ireland; and 25-year-old Thayamani Hoole from Cambridge.

Amy said: “Bowel cancer is the second biggest cancer killer in the UK, with someone dying from the disease every half an hour, yet it’s a disease which nobody likes to talk about.

“We need to help young people realise that it’s something can affect them so the more awareness and fundraising we can do the better.”

The fundraising raffle will be followed by a 12-hour sponsored bike ride at Glyndŵr University’s Wrexham campus on Thursday February 25th.

A spokesperson for Beating Bowel Cancer said: “The students have been a great asset to Beating Bowel Cancer since last autumn and have helped with collections and awareness events.”

Anyone who is able to donate a raffle prize or provide an exercise bike for the girls to use should contact Amy via email, [email protected]

More than 41,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year. If diagnosed early, more than 90% of bowel cancer cases can be treated successfully; five-year survival rates have doubled over the last 40 years.

For more information about Beating Bowel Cancer visit https://www.beatingbowelcancer.org