Aged just 41 with a 3 year old son, Lynn Faulds Wood was diagnosed with bowel cancer and given only a 34 per cent chance of survival.

That was 17 years ago. Since then Lynn has been campaigning for greater awareness and research into the disease. And the statistics have improved significantly.

In 2002 the voluntary charity Lynn’s Bowel Cancer Campaign was launched to help raise awareness of the disease and to highlight the symptoms to prevent more people dying.

Lynn and her team have a theme – spots. In the same way that ‘pink’ works for Breast Cancer Awareness Lynn hopes ‘spots’ will be synonymous with bowel cancer.

Lynn explains:
“We’ve chosen spots because we want people to know how to spot the symptoms, spot if it is in their family, and spot if screening has started in their area. By going ‘Spotty’ we hope to help break any taboos surrounding this common, and cruel cancer. We can’t afford to be squeamish and shy anymore in talking about bottoms and bowels. We hope people will join in the fun with a serious purpose and hold ‘Spotty’ themed days all over the country.”

For more information and to take part go to the
Lynn’s Bowel Cancer Campaign Website.

Ostomyland goes spotty to recognise the UK's Bowel Cancer Faster Diagnosis Week June 8th - 15th 2009