SIX bowel cancer survivors are hitting the streets to urge others to take a life-saving test.

Lanarkshire's first group of Bowel Cancer Champions has been trained by clinical specialists to highlight the benefits of screening and explain how to take the test.

The group will be handing out leaflets at public events and loca-tions across Lanarkshire in the coming weeks.

Uptake of bowel screening in Lanark-shire is below the Scottish average with just 47.7% of people taking the test. Early detection is crucial and nine out of 10 people will survive the disease if it is caught early.

David Waters, 75, from Kirkmuirhill, in Lanark-shire, is among the six Bowel Cancer Champ-ions. He says the screening saved his life.

The former engineer was diagnosed with the disease in November 2010 after sending the kit off. He had suffered no obvious symptoms.

David had chemother-apy and radiotherapy at The Beatson in Glasgow in March 2011 and surg-ery at Wishaw General hospital in June, and is now in the clear.

He said: "I remember going for the colono-scopy and there were about another six or eight people having the same procedure.

"They all left and there was a note at the end of my bed saying Mr Waters' driver needs to be spoken to. So I knew then it wasn't good news.

"When I've explained to people that the cancer was detected through screening, I'm astonish-ed at the response. People say they don't do the test as they don't want to hear what the doctors will say.

"I've a friend who only realised something was wrong when he got bleeding. That man now has MacMillan nurses supporting him. It could have been different if his bowel cancer was detected earlier."

David celebrated his golden wedding anniver-sary last year and still regularly plays golf.

Jennifer Darnborough, public health consultant at NHS Lanarkshire, said: "Despite uptake of bowel screening being lower than we'd like in Lanark shire, we still find bowel cancers through screening. If you get an invitation for bowel cancer screening, please act on it."

Health Secretary Alex Neil said: "There is nobody better placed to share this important message than those who have gone through the process themselves."

For information, contact the Scottish Bowel Screening Help-line on 0800 0121 833 or visit www.bowel screeningtest.org

caroline.wilson@ eveningtimes.co.uk