Grandad gives something back to hospital

Walter Lowthorpe raised £1,000 from his recent birthday to help fund the bowel cancer screening programme at the N&N

DAN GRIMMER
10 December 2009 17:01



A city grandfather who took part in a pioneering bowel cancer screening programme which "saved his life" has handed over £1,000 to help others with the condition.

Walter Lowthorpe was so impressed with the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital's home testing scheme that he asked friends to donate money, instead of presents, for his recently celebrated 65th birthday to help fund it.

His generous friends and family stumped up £1,000 which was handed over the specialist bowel cancer screening team yesterday and will go towards vital research in adults with the disease.

Mr Lowthorpe, a grandfather of three from Suckling Avenue in north Norwich, is one of thousands of people who has benefited from the scheme which involved people testing themselves for the killer disease in their own home.

His sample, which is sent off to a laboratory last year, looked "suspicious" so he was given a biopsy within two weeks and the cancer was removed.

He has since made a full recovery and is celebrating this week after doctors said they did not need to see him for another three years following a "clear" scan.

"I cannot tell you how grateful I am to that test," he said. "Doctors have told me I might not be here today if I had not taken it. I wanted to give something back to the hospital and so I asked people to donate money instead of presents. My wife June and I cannot believe how generous everyone was."

The scheme was introduced in summer 2006 and is being rolled out to people in different areas over the next few years. Norfolk has one of the best uptakes in the country with 67pc take-up rate for the 60 to 69 age group. The scheme was also recently extended to the 70 to 75 age group.

Dr Richard Tighe who leads the N&N programme, said: "We are very grateful to Walter and his friends for this money."

Full instructions are sent with the test kit and further support is available on 0800 707 60 60.

Ü Do you have a health story for the Evening News? Contact Sarah Hall on 01603 772426 or email sarah.hall2@archant.co.uk

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