David Amess MP has pledged his support to the national charity Beating Bowel Cancer, to help save lives from the UK’s second biggest cancer killer.

Mr Amess attended Beating Bowl Cancer’s annual ‘Be Loud, Be Clear’ parliamentary reception last week, where he found the latest bowel cancer figure for the local area. In Southend West, 48 people suffer from the disease per 100,000 people. This is slightly below the national average of 60, but more needs to be done to tackle the problem.

Mr Amess said: “One in eighteen people are diagnosed with bowel cancer and these local figures show that people in Southend West must take bowel cancer seriously. I hope that by supporting Beating Bowel Caner’s campaign I can encourage people in the constituency to ‘be loud’ about bowel cancer and ‘be clear’ on the symptoms of the UK’s second biggest cancer killer.

Mike Flannagan, Chief Executive of Beating Bowel Cancer said, “I am delighted that David Amess MP is supporting ‘Be Loud Be Clear’. Bowel Cancer claims a life every 30 minutes in the UK but it can be beaten. No matter what the figures say for the local areas, by working together to raise awareness, we can beat bowel cancer”.

‘Be Loud Be Clear’ 2012 coincides with the launch of Be Clear on cancer, the first NHS national bowel cancer awareness campaign. Bowel Cancer is the UK’s second biggest cancer killer yet it can be beaten. If diagnosed early, over 90% of bowel cancer patients could be successfully treated compared with less than 7% of patients diagnosed with advanced bowel cancer.

To find out more about bowel cancer and to access the latest figures in your local area, by local authority and constituency, please visit www.beatingbowelcaner.org.