Bowel cancer is the second most common of all cancers in men and the third most common of all cancers in women in Ireland. Last Friday saw new BowelScreen endoscopy services in Cork University Hospital (CUH) launched – the unit is the 16th across Ireland delivering colonoscopy procedures to BowelScreen participants who need further tests following their free bowel cancer screening test.
The programme was allocated €3.8 million for 2025/2026 in the Budget, €1.9 million of which was received in 2025; part of this was used to fund the BowelScreen development of CUH. Nationally, BowelScreen carries out approximately 5,000 colonoscopies per year.
BowelScreen aims to reduce deaths from bowel cancer in two ways – by finding small growths (known as adenomas or polyps) which are removed at colonoscopy, and by detecting bowel cancers at an early stage, where there are no symptoms.
‘I’VE BEEN SO LUCKY’
BowelScreen participant Mike Brady, 67, from Midleton, received a cancer diagnosis following a BowelScreen colonoscopy in CUH. His cancer was found at an early stage, before he had any symptoms. After surgery to remove the cancer he did not need chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
“I’ve been looked after extremely well. No matter what question I had, they were able to deal with it,” Mike said. “I cannot get over how fast it went for me from the day I had from the colonoscopy on 11 July 2025 to surgery on the 18th August. I put that down to everything being in the one place through BowelScreen. It all worked so smoothly. I got to know the team and where to go to, even where to park. That convenience and reliability gave me confidence.
“I’m happy to give back by telling my story, and I know that it sounds a bit of a cliché, but I’ve been so lucky.
“Doing the test is like sticking a cotton bud in your poo, putting it into a little container and posting it away. It’s as simple as that. I’m fit, I eat a well-balanced diet, high in fibre, I love to walk. I keep up with all my health tests. I would’ve been confident that I would have a normal screening test result. I had no symptoms. The only reason I found I had bowel cancer was thanks to BowelScreen.”
FULL RANGE OF SERVICES
If bowel cancer is found early, it is generally easier to treat and there’s a better chance of recovery. Around 2,500 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer in Ireland every year and 6%* of these are detected following bowel screening.
Noting that CUH has been providing histopathology, cancer surgery, and CT colonography (CTC) services for BowelScreen patients in the Cork and Kerry region since 2012, Acting Chief Executive Officer CUH, Deirdre O’Keeffe, said that the new service ‘means that CUH now provides the full range of BowelScreen clinical services’.
“It’s a priority of ours under Sláintecare to offer people testing and treatment near to where they live. For many patients this development will mean continuity of care, as they will have testing, diagnosis and treatment all under one roof in CUH.”
Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD was in attendance at the launch.
