Sam rounds up the last 24 episodes of Can I Butt In? We take a look back at each episode, our guests, the topics, and insightful conversations with bowel cancer and bowel disease patients and researchers.

Can I Butt In? is taking a break! We’ll see you again later on with a new host and a range of new guests and themes to dig into.

Read the transcript for this episode.

Find out more about Bowel Research UK.

Music is “Summer Guitar” by Amaksi from Pixabay and Melancholic Guitar Sting Transitions by VoiceBosch.

Sam rewinds to last year’s Big Bowel Event, resharing a session called PaRT Life. In this session, three members of the PaRT network discussed their patient experiences and their experiences of getting involved in research. The members are Steve Clark, Alicia Cropley, and Nigel Horwood. Sam also provides details on the upcoming Big Bowel Event 2024, taking place online on 22nd August.

Register for the Big Bowel Event 2024.

Watch the Big Bowel Event 2023 on YouTube.

Read the transcript for this episode.

Find out more about Bowel Research UK.

Music is “Summer Guitar” by Amaksi from Pixabay.

In the second of this two-part series on the spread of bowel cancer to the peritoneum, Sam is joined by Becky Maskill and Rebecca (Bex) Halstead. Becky has experience of peritoneal metastases, and Bex is Lead Colorectal/Peritoneal Tumour Clinical Nurse Specialist at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. Becky tells her patient story, Bex explains what her role involves, and the two discuss their long relationship since Becky’s diagnosis nearly ten years ago.

Find out more about the Colorectal and Peritoneal Oncology Centre (CPOC) at The Christie

Read the transcript for this episode

Find out more about Bowel Research UK

Music is “Summer Guitar” by Amaksi from Pixabay.

Sam is joined by Dr Meera Patel to talk about her research into the spread of bowel cancer to the peritoneum. Meera is an Academic Clinical Lecturer at The University of Manchester and a trainee bowel surgeon, splitting her time equally between her academic medical research work and her clinical practice treating patients in the Northwest of England. Sam and Meera discuss what the peritoneum is, how cancer can spread there and how it’s treated. Meera explains her research into the connection between this spread, bacteria, and the microbiome.

Peritoneal Metastases - Manchester Cancer Research Centre

Read the transcript for this episode

Find out more about Bowel Research UK

Music is “Summer Guitar” by Amaksi from Pixabay.

Sam presented at Oncology Professional Care conference on 22nd May 2024 and provides a rerun of those presentations in this episode. The first presentation is on patient and public involvement (PPI), including what it is, how it is done at Bowel Research UK, and debunking nine common PPI misconceptions. The second talk is based on Sam’s patient experiences of navigating the healthcare system with a genetic predisposition to cancer. Artist Francesco Tassi drew visual minutes for the talks from Sam, fellow patients and fellow presenter and Lynch syndrome National Lead Nurse, Laura Monje-Garcia.

View the visual minutes and read the transcript for this episode.

Find out more about Bowel Research UK.

Music is “Summer Guitar” by Amaksi from Pixabay and Melancholic Guitar Sting Transitions by VoiceBosch.

Tonia Hickman and Daniel Peckham join Sam to discuss the connection between cystic fibrosis and bowel conditions such as bowel cancer. Tonia Hickman has cystic fibrosis and had part of her small bowel and some lymph nodes removed due to fibromatosis. Professor Daniel Peckham is Professor of Respiratory Medicine at the University of Leeds, an adult respiratory physician, and conducts research into the gut microbiome and cancer. This episode has been created in collaboration with Cystic Fibrosis Trust. Cystic Fibrosis Trust is the only UK-wide charity uniting people to stop cystic fibrosis. They fund vital research, improve care, speak out and race towards effective treatments for all.

Find out more about Cystic Fibrosis Trust

Read the transcript for this episode

Find out more about Bowel Research UK

Music is “Summer Guitar” by Amaksi from Pixabay.

Helen West, Public Patient Involvement & Engagement Officer at Guts UK, joins Sam to talk about the charities’ joint project, a diverticular disease priority setting partnership. Helen and Sam explain what a priority setting partnership is, what we’ve done so far, what’s going to happen, how you can get involved, and why we’re looking into diverticular disease. Guts UK is the only UK charity funding research into the digestive system from top to tail; the gut, liver and pancreas. Their mission is to provide expert information, raise public awareness, and fund life-changing and life-saving research into digestive diseases.

Complete the survey here before 31st July 2024

Find out more about Guts UK

Read the transcript for this episode

Find out more about Bowel Research UK

Music is “Summer Guitar” by Amaksi from Pixabay.

In the second of this two-part series on “mini colonoscopies” performed using LumenEye, Sam is joined by Dr Ammara Hughes. Dr Ammara Hughes is a GP partner at Bloomsbury Surgery, Central London, and Clinical Director of Central Camden Primary Care Network. LumenEye was created by MedTech company SurgEease. Ammara explains how LumenEye is used at GP practices to diagnose conditions such as haemorrhoids and anal fissures, and how this can cut down waiting list times for both those with suspected cancer and those with lower risk.

Find out more about SurgEase

Read the transcript for this episode

Find out more about Bowel Research UK

Music is “Summer Guitar” by Amaksi from Pixabay.