John Barnes

John is a bowel cancer survivor. In 2000, he was diagnosed with a Dukes stage 2 bowel cancer in transverse colon following an emergency presentation with a rectal haemorrhage. Since his operation he has acted as a ‘friend’ to others who are going through similar experiences with bowel cancer, a role that he gets immense satisfaction from. 

He is currently a Patient Advocate for Bowel Cancer Intelligence UK and Yorkshire Cancer Research and has represented the BCI UK at the GB Colorectal Surgeons Conference, the Public Health England Conference and also the UK Government’s cross party ‘Battle against Cancer’ Conference. He also sits on the NHS Colorectal Expert Group which is charged with producing ‘The Clinical Advice for the Commissioning of the whole Bowel Cancer Pathway’.