Patrons and celebrity supporters

We are proud to have a number of high-profile patrons and celebrities supporting the work of Beating Bowel Cancer.

Dr Chris Steele
GP and resident doctor on ITV’s This Morning

Doctor Chris Steele MBE is the ”resident doctor” on the popular ITV This Morning programme. He appeared on the very first show twenty years ago and still appears each week. Chris who qualified as a doctor in l968 also writes for both Woman Magazine and Top Sante.

Perhaps more than any other clinician, he had pioneered the use of the television and internet media to inform and educate the general public on a whole range of health matters.

Matt Dawson
Member of England's Rugby World Cup 2003 winning team and media personality
 
Matt Dawson MBE started his rugby playing career in 1991 with Northampton. Matt Dawson and Jonny Wilkinson were the half-back partnership at the core of England's 2003 Grand Slam and World Cup victories. Matt moved from rugby to the world of the media. He became a team captain on the BBC's A Question Of Sport as well as a rugby pundit on Radio 5 live. Matt won Celebrity Masterchef in 2005 and was runner-up in Strictly Come Dancing in 2006. Matt Dawson's hobbies include golf, snooker and walking his dogs.

“I lost my grandad to bowel cancer and my mother was also recently diagnosed, so I’m fully behind Beating Bowel Cancer and the fantastic work they do to raise awareness. We all need to be loud about the UK’s second biggest cancer killer, and know that symptoms such as a persistent change in your bowel habits or bleeding from your bottom should not be ignored.”

Lord Darzi
Professor of Surgery

Professor the Lord Darzi of Denham KBE holds the Paul Hamlyn Chair of Surgery at Imperial College London and is a consultant at Imperial College NHS Healthcare Trust, St Mary’s Hospital and honorary consultant at The Royal Marsden Hospital. He is the Chairman of The Institute of Global Health Innovation.

In 2007 Lord Darzi was introduced to the House of Lords and appointed as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health, during which time he led a major review of the NHS and published a report, ‘High Quality Care For All’. He relinquished office in July 2009 to devote more time to his clinical role and academic research.

Ara Darzi was knighted for his services to medicine and surgery in 2002 and appointed as a Privy Councillor in 2009. 

Numerous celebrities have pledged their support for Beating Bowel Cancer over the years, or have spearheaded particular charity campaigns. Most recently, our BE LOUD BE CLEAR campaign was supported by actor James Purefoy, TV presenter Gillian McKeith, Channel 4's Embarrassing Illnesses doctor, Christian Jessen as well as our Charity Patrons Matt Dawson and Dr Chris Steele.