Have you had a bowel cancer test yet?

Are you one of the half a million people who have now been screened for bowel cancer?

So far over a million bowel cancer testing kits have been sent out under the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme. According to the Department of Health, about half of them have been used and returned.

Screening has been introduced because bowel cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the UK killing 50 of us every single day. It began in 2006 but will not be available everywhere - 'full national implementation' as the government call it - until December. To find out when it will be available in your area check out the Go Live dates.

Screening is for those over 60 - 85% of all diagnoses are in people over the age of 60. A test will be offered every two years to all men and women aged 60 to 69. People over 70 can request a screening kit by calling a freephone helpline when the programme reaches their area. The helpline is 0800 707 60 60.

If you're offered a test, you've nothing to lose by taking part.

The screening test is very easy. You can do it at home. The NHS is a little coy on this point but it basically involves having a dump which the lab then subjects to an FOB test or Faecal Occult Blood. This may sound like a very bad heavy metal group but is just an examination of your stool for blood which may be a sign of an underlying problem.

If you're over 70, why not join the 17,192 men and women in your age group who have already requested a test kit.

Testing kit