Yorkshire Beacon supports NHS Trusts with Bowel Cancer Awareness Racedays

2024 sees the launch of a new campaign for the Yorkshire Beacon, the umbrella for Go Racing In Yorkshire’s charitable activities, run collectively with and on behalf of the nine Yorkshire racecourses.

Working with NHS Trust’s local to each racecourse, a team will be on hand to promote the benefits of the bowel cancer screening programme, a national campaign which aims to increase uptake of the home testing kit to ensure more people are diagnosed with bowel cancer at the earliest stage, when they’re nine times more likely to survive.

Originally aimed at 60–74-year-olds, the campaign is being extended so that everyone between 50 and 59 will also be eligible for screening.

Go Racing In Yorkshire’s General Manager, Charlotte Russell said: “There is a natural fit between the demographic of our weekday racegoers and the age groups that the bowel cancer screening programme is aimed at so supporting this campaign was an easy decision to make.  Being able to have a year-round presence across all the Yorkshire courses gives longevity to the activity and it will have a significant impact for the health trusts.”

The first event was held at Catterick Racecourse in January, which included the running of the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme Saves Lives Novices’ Hurdle.

Lydia Brown, Specialist Screening Practitioner from the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme said: “The Bowel Cancer Screening Programme are thrilled to be working alongside Go Racing In Yorkshire as part of their Yorkshire Beacon Project. The team had a great day at Catterick, engaging with racegoers and promoting the benefits of the screening programme – even judging the best turned out horse award! We look forward to the other racedays around Yorkshire with the continued aim to help promote the programme.”