Cancer Awareness team visit Kirkby

Cancer Research UK (CRUK) will visit Knowsley next week encouraging residents to make positive health changes to help reduce their risk of cancer.

The CRUK team will visit the St Chad’s Centre in Kirkby, Knowsley on Monday 2 July from 10am to 3pm.

CRUK nurses will provide information on how to spot cancer early, as it is much more likely to be treated successfully if picked up at an early stage. They will also be able to let you know things you can do to reduce the risk of cancer, including participating in cancer screening programmes and making small lifestyle changes like getting more active and stopping smoking.

Health checks will also be available at the CRUK health stand. Find out your Body Mass Index (BMI) measurement and whether your weight is within a healthy range and take a test to measure the carbon monoxide levels in your breath.

The CRUK nurses can offer advice to those who complete the checks and if necessary signpost you to local and national health services or other available initiatives.

Cllr Sean Donnelly, cabinet member for health and social care, at Knowsley Council said: “The CRUK nurses are fantastic and help so many people through talking and listening to them and providing relevant information.

“It’s really important if you think something’s not right, not to ignore it – talk to someone you trust and your GP. We can make a big difference by getting any symptoms checked-out early, participating in screening programmes when invited and making small lifestyle changes, such as getting more physically active, eating a healthier diet, cutting down on alcohol and stopping smoking.

“Believe it or not, over half of people in Knowsley didn’t return their bowel screening kit and around one in three women didn’t attend for breast screening in recent years. These simple actions can save lives.”