Can I Butt In?

Sam and guest Diane Kelsey draw attention to microscopic colitis – what is it, how is it different to ulcerative colitis, and how does it affect diet and lifestyle? Diane was diagnosed with microscopic colitis in February 2021 shortly after retiring from teaching, and she explains how her condition was diagnosed, what the symptoms were, how she manages it and how it affects her daily life.

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Researchers Robert Kerrison and Gerard Cummins talk to Sam about Samplecam, an innovative new type of capsule endoscopy currently in the works. They explain their research on Samplecam, which is a video capsule endoscopy that will also be capable of taking samples of the bowel as it travels through it. They discuss what a video capsule endoscopy normally does, how this technology will be different, and the potential impact on the p...

Sam is joined by Olivia Rose, Chief Marketing Officer at Ostique, to talk about a new app for people with stomas. Ostique Connect is a first-of-its-kind support platform for ostomates, providing the opportunity to connect with others for one-to-one peer support. Olivia and Sam discuss the development of the app and the valuable feedback ostomates have provided during the beta testing process.

Ostique website: https://ostique.co.uk/...

Bowel Research UK’s Patient and Public Involvement Manager Sam Alexandra Rose is joined by Steve Clark to discuss his research into the “nocebo” effect. Steve was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer in 2013 and has since become an active patient advocate. In 2017 he set up StriveForFive.org, a not-for-profit organization with the mission to give hope to fellow patients with stage 4 cancer. Steve and Sam talk about the nocebo e...

In a Rare Disease Day special, Sam provides an overview of several rare and lesser-known bowel conditions, including CIPO (chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction), mesenteric plexitis, Hirschsprung’s disease, metastatic small bowel obstruction, paediatric IBD, and Enterocutaneous Fistula or ECF. She also explains the ultra-rare genetic condition constitutional mismatch repair deficiency (CMMRD) and its relationship with Lynch syndro...

Bowel Research UK’s Patient and Public Involvement Manager Sam Alexandra Rose is joined by Pete Wheatstone to discuss his experiences of having bowel cancer while being self-employed. They talk about how bowel cancer symptoms, diagnoses, treatments, and long-term effects impact business for those who work for themselves. They also cover the differences between being employed and self-employed with cancer, including the financial im...

Bowel Research UK’s Patient and Public Involvement Manager Sam Alexandra Rose is joined by Simon Boddis to discuss the nuances of cancer language. What language does the media use to describe people with cancer, what do we say to each other in society, and how does that make us feel? Simon was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2020 and has a permanent stoma.

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In this episode of Can I Butt In, Bowel Research UK's Patient and Public Involvement Manager, Sam Alexandra Rose, is joined by Jacqueline Black, a doctoral researcher at Kings College London with a background in health psychology. Some of her work is funded by Bowel Research UK, and they discuss how having a chronic illness can inflict stress on a patient, and how stress can affect the illness that a person experiences. Along with ...

Bowel Research UK's Patient and Public Involvement Manager, Sam Alexandra Rose, is joined by Louise Usher, a registered nutritionist, Crohn's disease patient and a guest Blogger for Bowel Research UK. She talks about her past experiences, how she became a registered nutritionist and how that allows her to help others with Crohn's disease. They also talk about the daily and holiday struggles of Crohn's patients and provide useful ad...

Bowel Research UK's Patient and Public Involvement Manager, Sam Alexandra Rose, is joined by Alicia Toon, Marketing and Communications Executive at Odin Vision. Together, they provide a simple explanation of what AI (Artificial Intelligence) is and what colonoscopies involve. They emphasize the benefits of combining AI with colonoscopies for both doctors and patients. Alicia discusses the research conducted by Odin Vision and highl...

Bowel Research UK's Patient and Public Involvement Manager, Sam Alexandra Rose, is joined by Emma Tuschick and Karen Manton. Emma Tuschick is a doctoral candidate and research associate at Teesside University, while Karen Manton is an expert in bipolar disorder based on personal experience. They are part of a research team investigating the experiences, thoughts, and emotions of individuals with severe mental illness and learning d...

Bowel Research UK’s Patient and Public Involvement Manager Sam Alexandra Rose is joined by Nigel Horwood, a guest blogger at Bowel Research UK and a Crohn's disease patient. They discuss the importance of organising your medical records appropriately and establishing strong relationships with your medical experts. Additionally, Nigel gives some tips, suggestions and shares some of his experience to help improve quality of life and ...

Bowel Research UK’s Patient and Public Involvement Manager Sam Alexandra Rose is joined by Simon Carding, Professor of Mucosal Immunology at the University of East Anglia and head of the Food Microbiome and Health Research programme at Quadram Institute in Norwich, along with Adele Sayers, a consulting colorectal surgeon at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals with an interest in IBD. In this episode, they discuss the gut microbiome, expla...

In this episode of Can I Butt In, Bowel Research UK’s Patient and Public Involvement Manager Sam Alexandra Rose is joined by Matt Black and Steven Jones to discuss how workplace culture and environment can impact workers with illnesses and disabilities. Additionally, they discuss what arrangements can be made to improve communication and accommodate people with illnesses or disabilities. Matt had bowel cancer during the COVID lockd...

Bowel Research UK’s Patient and Public Involvement Manager Sam Alexandra Rose is joined by Eamonn Dunne, the Partnerships and Projects Development Manager for Thomas Pocklington Trust, a national charity supporting blind and partially sighted people. In this episode, they discuss the difficulties that people with visual impairments have when taking a FIT (Faecal Immunochemical Test), which can be essential for the early detection a...

Bowel Research UK’s Patient and Public Involvement Manager Sam Alexandra Rose is joined by Sharon Applin and Charles West to discuss pelvic exenteration surgery and its impact on quality of life. Sharon had this surgery due to squamous cell cancer and Charles “Charlie” West is conducting research into the effects of this surgery known as empty pelvis syndrome.

Charlie's Twitter handle: @charliewest89 Music is “Summer Guitar” by Ama...