Andrex put bowel cancer symptoms on packaging after inspiration from Dame Deborah James
It will start to hit the shelves from September
Last updated 22nd Jun 2022
Dame Deborah James is being supported in her goal to raise awareness for bowel cancer after Andrex pledged to update their packaging to display symptoms of the disease.
The popular toilet paper brand teamed up with Bowel Cancer UK as they announced it will display the common signs of the disease - the fourth most common cancer and second biggest cancer killer in the UK - on as many as 29 million packs.
It will follow Marks & Spencer who themselves announced it would make a similar change to its packaging last month.
They are also set to be joined by Aldi who have also decided to partner the #GetOnARoll campaign by providing packaging on more than 70 million packs of toilet roll per year.
Dame Deborah, 40, who is the host of the You, Me and The Big C podcast, is currently undergoing end of life care after battling terminal bowel cancer for five years.
She has raised more than £6 million for cancer research via her BowelBabe fund and has been lobbying for supermarket brands to include symptoms to look out for which will help with early diagnosis.
Work is being done in factories from July as the changes to the Andrex packaging will be visible in supermarkets from September, with hopes to update all packaging on the full Andrex toilet roll range within the next year. There will also be a £65,000 initial donation to the charity.
Consumers will be able to scan a QR code on the packs, redirecting them to Bowel Cancer UK’s website where they can find out more information.
Almost half of adults in the UK can’t name a single symptom of bowel cancer, which is the general term for cancer that begins in the large bowel.
Knowing the symptoms means that bowel cancer can be diagnosed earlier when it is more treatable and curable, as fewer than 40 per cent of people are diagnosed at the earliest stages.
Genevieve Edwards, CEO of Bowel Cancer UK, said: “We’re thrilled to partner with Andrex to raise vital awareness of bowel cancer symptoms with people all over the country. It's the UK's fourth most common cancer, with someone diagnosed with the disease every 15 minutes in the UK.
"Bowel cancer is treatable and curable especially if diagnosed early, but 60 per cent of people are diagnosed at later stages when it is much more difficult to treat. Part of the problem is low awareness of the red flag symptoms of bowel cancer that should prompt people to contact their GP.
"This brilliant partnership will help millions of people across the UK know what to look out for and will undoubtedly save lives.”
Deborah James
Pictured here in 2020, Deborah James was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016 at the age of 35. After the diagnosis she began detailing her cancer and treatment in a newspaper column.
Deborah James became the much-loved presenter of the podcast You, Me And The Big C in 2018 alongside fellow cancer patients Lauren Mahon and Rachael Bland.
She's become a campaigner, raising awareness of cancer and raising money too. In 2019 she ran the Vitiality London 10000 in her underwear to promote body confidence.
In May 2022 she announced she was receiving hospice at home care saying "We have tried everything, but my body simply isn't playing ball."
The cancer campaigner was honoured with a damehood in May 2022 after announcing she had moved to hospice-at-home care.
The 40-year-old podcast host had at that point raised over £4million after setting up a fund to raise money for clinical trials, research, and raising awareness of bowel cancer.
Dame Deborah James dies
On the 28th June 2022 it was announced that Dame Deborah had sadly passed away at the age of 40, after losing her battle with terminal bowel cancer. Her campaigning work raised over £7 million for her Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK.