Gwynedd opera star Rhys Meirion has taken to social media from his hospital bed to thank the NHS for their care and to encourage people to take a bowel cancer test.

On Facebook on 19 May, the tenor from Tremadog shared a photograph of himself in hospital. He is hooked up to machines but smiling and holding two thumbs up.

Rhys is happy for us to share this, and his post, which reads: “A quick note to let you know that I have just received a successful operation to remove a tumour from my bowel.

“Need to recover now, and I will be back on my feet in no time!

“I have been lucky to find it early thanks to bowel screening - Public Health Wales: https://phw.nhs.wales/services.../screening/bowel-screening/

“A huge thanks to the NHS, my surgeon, doctors and nurses for their amazing care.”

Rhys has sung on stages around the world in operas and classical concerts. He has also raised thousands of pounds for charities on sponsored walks through Wales, but for now he will take a break to recover from surgery.

Dr Lisa Wilde, Director of Research, Policy and Influencing at Bowel Cancer UK, said: "Screening is one of the best ways to spot bowel cancer at an early stage, when it is treatable and curable. It’s the fourth most common cancer in Wales, with nearly 2,400 people being diagnosed with the disease in the country every year.

“Rhys’ story demonstrates just how important it is to complete the screening test to help spot the disease before symptoms even develop and we urge everyone to follow his example and do so as soon as they receive it.”

According to Bowel Cancer UK, almost 44,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year in the UK.

“More than nine out of ten new cases (94 per cent) are diagnosed in people over the age of 50,” the site explains.

“But bowel cancer can affect anyone of any age. More than 2,600 new cases are diagnosed in people under the age of 50 every year.

1 in 17 men and 1 in 20 women will be diagnosed with bowel cancer during their lifetime.”

But bowel cancer is treatable and curable especially if diagnosed early, like Rhys.

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