Charity partnership of the year

We are delighted to have Bowel Cancer UK as our charity partner for 2023.

Bowel Cancer UK is the UK’s leading bowel cancer charity. They are determined to save lives and improve the quality of life of everyone affected by bowel cancer. In light of the recent sad passing of Aisling Burnand MBE from bowel cancer last year, this partnership will play a pivotal role in raising awareness and knowledge of the disease. We hope you will get to know and connect with this fantastic charity over the course of 2023.

5 Biotech Wonders of the World Challenge

This spring, we’ve challenged BIA members to take part in our ‘5 Biotech Wonders of the World’ challenge! Teams of up to 10 have chosen a global biotech hub, and are collectively walking, running, swimming or cycling to their target destination! 

• Bristol, Clifton Suspension Bridge (170km)
• Macclesfield, Alderley Park (240km)
• Basel, Messe (710km)
• Boston, Kendall Square (5,265km)
• San Francisco, Golden Gate Bridge (8,615km)

It's not too late to sign up:
Whether you’re aiming to achieve a personal fitness or fundraising goal, improve team building or enjoy some friendly rivalry with fellow biotech companies, we encourage you to join the challenge. This is an opportunity to have fun, mingle with the BIA community, form new relationships, potentially win great prizes, and most importantly raise vital funds for our amazing charity of the year! Drop us an email if you'd like to join the challenge...

Open to BIA member companies only; teams will consist of a maximum of 10 people; companies can enter multiple teams.
 

Bowel Cancer Awareness Month

Bowel Cancer Awareness Month takes place in April and we're inviting all BIA members to join in and help keep bowel cancer in the spotlight. 

Whether it’s booking an awareness talk or taking part in the Bowel Cancer UK Active April challenge with your colleagues, there are plenty of ways to get involved. Please see the flyer for more details. 

Genevieve Edwards, Chief Executive at Bowel Cancer UK, said: 

“Many of the major advances in saving lives from bowel cancer have come through partnerships with organisations like those who are members of the BioIndustry Association, and that is why we are so thrilled to be chosen as their charity partner for 2023. Bowel cancer is the UK’s second biggest cancer killer but investing in research is the key to understanding how we can save more lives from this treatable and curable disease.

“We look forward to working with BIA and their valued members to drive positive change for patients and help to deliver improvements in bowel cancer survival in our lifetime. Central to this collaboration is the fearless and passionate former BIA CEO and our trustee Aisling Burnand CBE who we lost in 2022. We know she would have been very proud of this partnership and that it will continue her important legacy.”

 

About Bowel Cancer UK

• The charity provides information and support for everyone affected by bowel cancer. Its online forum is a place for people to talk about their experiences, share their knowledge and support each other.
   
• Bowel Cancer UK campaigns for early diagnosis and access to best treatment and care. They are leading change for younger bowel cancer patients, campaigning to improve survival and quality of life for those with advanced bowel cancer and working to improve early diagnosis by ensuring people are getting the right test at the right time.

 

• The research strategy puts patients and their families at the heart of its research programme ensuring they can help shape the future of bowel cancer research. We're committed to funding research that improves the prevention, early detection and treatment of the disease.
   
• The charity also runs training, workshops and study days for healthcare professionals and free awareness talks to workplaces, spreading the word about symptoms, risk factors and bowel cancer screening.

Bowel Cancer UK Together we can save more lives

Ways to get involved

• Book an awareness talk in your organisation with our volunteers

We provide free online bowel cancer awareness talks to workplaces and community groups in all four nations of the UK. The talks last approximately 30 minutes and are delivered online by our dedicated team of trained volunteers, many of whom have a personal connection to bowel cancer.

• Learn the symptoms of bowel cancer

Worryingly, Bowel Cancer UK’s research shows that nearly half of people (45%) living in the UK can’t name a single symptom of bowel cancer. Knowing the red flag symptoms and contacting your GP if you have any of them can help increase the chances of an early diagnosis, when the disease is easier to treat.

The symptoms of bowel cancer can include:

•  Bleeding from your bottom or blood in your poo
•  A persistent and unexplained change in bowel habit
•  Unexplained weight loss
•  Extreme tiredness for no obvious reason
•  A pain or lump in your tummy

Most people with these symptoms don’t have bowel cancer, but if you have one or more of these, or if things just don’t feel right, contact your GP. They will want to see you and may ask you to do a Faecal Immunochemical Test, known as FIT, at home. It's very easy to do and will help your GP to decide whether your symptoms need further investigation.