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STILL Game actor Gavin Mitchell as urged people in Glasgow to “get in the cludgie” and take a life-saving cancer test.
Gavin, 52, who plays pub landlord Boaby, is encouraging more Scots to return their bowel screening tests as statistics show that people are 14 times more likely to survive bowel cancer if it’s found early.
Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in Scotland and the early signs are often hidden.
Experts say the test remains the best way of finding bowel cancer early when the chance of survival, and even cure, is higher.
Everyone aged between 50 and 74 in Scotland is sent a bowel screening test every two years.
Latest figures show that people are continuing to answer Detect Cancer Early’s ‘bowel movement’ call with 49,000 bowel screening tests being returned on average in March alone.
Gavin Mitchell said: “When the test comes through the door, just get in the cludgie and get on with it. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about and can give you peace of mind.
“It’s fantastic that more people than ever before in Scotland are taking this life-saving test. Get with the movement and make sure you do yours!”
Morag Brierton, 62, from Glasgow, says the screening test saved her life.
The retired administrative worker, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2012.
She said: “It wasn’t my first bowel screening test so I did it as normal and returned it as I had done before.
“I didn’t think much more of it until I received a letter asking me to re-take the test as blood had been found in the first sample. I had no symptoms so I wasn’t overly worried and sent away the second test.”
Morag was then asked to go to the hospital for a colonoscopy, where a polyp was found and removed from her bowel. After the polyp was tested, Morag was diagnosed with bowel cancer.
She said: “Thank goodness I did the test when I did.”