It makes sense, really, doesn\u2019t it? To progress from one level of facial hair to another! Moustaches in November to beards in December. And there\u2019s already an association of beards with December because of good old Saint Nicholas, otherwise known as Santa Claus. His feast day was celebrated last Sunday on 06 December.<\/p>\n
Just to make it clear, we\u2019re talking health promotion here. Movember promotes men\u2019s health, with its earliest focus being prostate cancer risk. Staying in the nether regions, Decembeard<\/a> promotes bowel cancer awareness and raises funds to fight this disease. Decembeard is a month-long campaign by Bowel Cancer UK where men are sponsored to ditch the razor and grow a beard in the name of bowel cancer awareness. Whether it\u2019s the longest beard or manscaping the most epic design, it\u2019s to get people asking about the beard and opening up the \u2018bowel discussion\u2019.<\/p>\n For those of us who struggle to grow a beard, Bowel Cancer UK offers the alternative of dedicating a star to someone special<\/a> as an alternative fund-raising idea. Stars and beards, keeping up that Christmas theme!<\/p>\n Bowel cancer is the third most common cause of death in the world, affecting both men and women. Every year just over 40,000 people are diagnosed and more than 16,000 people die of the disease. If caught early enough bowel cancer can be successfully treated. The biggest problem is that people don\u2019t like to talk about symptoms which are linked with what happens when they go to the toilet. Some people find it simply too embarrassing to start the conversation, even with their doctor.<\/p>\n When a person finds any sign, on or in their body, that might be linked to cancer, it takes courage to talk about it with anyone. That\u2019s whether it\u2019s a lump in a breast or an odd looking, black or bleeding spot on the skin. Talking about it makes the prospect that there is something wrong more real.\u00a0 The first conversation is usually with someone emotionally close to you. But when it is a possible sign of cancer which is related to going to the toilet, for example, seeing blood in the toilet pan or really bad diarrhoea, a lot of people can\u2019t get beyond their embarrassment to discuss it with anyone, let alone face the fear they are feeling.<\/p>\n Access the links below to find out more about the symptoms of bowel cancer<\/p>\n Decembeard \u2013 Bowel Cancer Awareness December 2020<\/a>: Rebecca Johnson on University of Kent Health & Wellbeing website<\/p>\n Bowel Cancer<\/a>: NHS website<\/p>\n Symptoms of Bowel Cancer<\/a>: macmillan.org.uk<\/p>\n What is Colorectal Cancer?:<\/a> Carmella Wint and Jennifer Nelson, healthline.com<\/p>\n What is Bowel Cancer?:<\/a> YouTube video by Cancer Research UK<\/p>\n