Let's talk about poo!
Dame Deborah James would tell anyone who would listen to "Check Your Poo!" and smash stigmas about poo and bowel cancer. To continue this incredible legacy we've launched our social series Toilet Talk to help smash poo taboos.
Poo taboos can delay or stop people from seeking help for unusual changes to their poo and bowel habits. This is why we must tackle them. ​ In fact, in a poll commissioned by the Fund in 2025, nearly a third (32%) of UK adults surveyed (an estimated 17.4 million UK adults) said that they are embarrassed or uncomfortable talking about changes in their poo or bowel habits with a GP/doctor*.
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We want to normalise and encourage more people to talk about their poo. The more people speak about it, the more comfortable they will feel about the subject. And this will make it easier to get help and speak to a doctor if something doesn’t look or feel quite right. This is so important because spotting bowel cancer early saves lives. ​
Toilet Talk
Once again you'll see our important health messaging in various places across the UK during April's bowel cancer awareness month.
And in our second series of the popular Toilet Talk series on our social channels you’ll see more famous faces sit down on our purple toilet and speak all about poo and why it's so important to break down the stigma. We kicked off with TV Presenter and Comedian Leigh Francis (also known as Keith Lemon) who tells us all about the time his live audience on social got more than they bargained for! We also featured social media influencer and author Shabaz Ali who "acquired" a new rug from his friends house and Deborah's wonderful mum Heather James who confesses she's not really a contortionist!
Follow the Bowelbabe Fund on Instagram and Facebook to keep up with Toilet Talk, and be the first to hear about other exciting ways you can get involved and help share this important message.​​
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How you can get involved
Share our Toilet Talk series with your friends and family and most importantly, start talking about poo! 💩
Whether it’s with your friends, family or someone else you trust, over a cuppa or online, join in the conversation to help smash #PooTaboos. That way, you or your loved one will find it easier to tell a health professional if something isn’t right for you. In most cases it won't be cancer but, if it is, getting an early diagnosis can make all the difference.
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Visit the links below for more ways you can support the Bowelbabe Fund for Cancer Research UK, or to get more information about bowel cancer including signs and symptoms.
* Figures are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2055 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 5th - 6th March 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+)