The Foundation’s National Charity Partner for season 2022/23 was Bowel Cancer UK, and the Foundation donated £25,000 to the charity and helped to spread the word about the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer and the importance of taking part in bowel cancer screening to the Rangers family and beyond.

The donation funded a Senior Services Officer to help deliver information and support to people with bowel cancer living in Scotland. It also helped to run campaigns to raise awareness of symptoms, facilitate in-person support groups, support GPs and other health professionals to diagnose and treat people with bowel cancer earlier, and finally, to research the reasons people in Scotland find it hard to overcome barriers and access health services.

Foundation Chief Executive Connal Cochrane commented: “It has been great to be able to communicate important messages far and wide about the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer that will really save lives.”

“For example, with the help of the club we arranged for bowel cancer symptoms posters to be displayed in washrooms around the Stadium and were delighted when this initiative spread across Scottish football, with support from the SPFL Trust. Six other clubs joined the campaign and are also displaying posters in their washrooms, reaching even more football fans.”

“Thanks to the generosity of our incredible supporters this donation will enable Bowel Cancer UK to significantly boost its important work in Scotland.”

Genevieve Edwards, Chief Executive at Bowel Cancer UK, added:

“We are incredibly grateful to the Foundation for their generous donation and support for this season-long partnership.”

“Awareness of bowel cancer symptoms in Scotland has increased by nearly 10 per cent compared to this time last year, and we know some of this is due to the Foundation and the Club’s amazing family of players, fans and staff who have championed this lifesaving campaign.”

“Thank you so much to everyone who shared the symptoms and their experience of the disease – it really does save lives.”

“If anyone reading this has been affected by bowel cancer, they can share their story with Bowel Cancer UK at www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk/rangers and maybe even help the Foundation communicate important messages to other fans, which could save lives.”

Rangers fan and bowel cancer survivor Iain Kerr also attended the launch of the partnership today. Iain was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2014 and has been a Rangers fan since he saw his first game at Ibrox in 1959.

He commented:

“I’m so pleased to see Rangers, my club, and Bowel Cancer UK, a charity close to my heart, coming together to tackle such an important issue.”

“I was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2014 after completing a bowel cancer screening test. A few months later I had surgery to remove the tumour and a colostomy, and I’ve been cancer free since then.

“Being told that I have cancer left me speechless. I wouldn’t want anyone else to have to go through what I did and that’s why I’m sharing my story.

“I hope other fans and supporters of the club will come forward with their stories too and together we can raise awareness of what to look out for and encourage people to seek help from their GP.”

The money the Foundation has pledged to raise for the partnership will help Bowel Cancer UK to fund a Senior Services Officer in Scotland to deliver the following vital services in Scotland:

• providing information and support to people with bowel cancer
• running campaigns to raise awareness of symptoms
• supporting in-person support groups
• helping GPs and other health professionals to diagnose and treat people with bowel cancer earlier
• researching the reasons people in Scotland find it hard to access health services and try to help overcome those.

Genevieve Edwards, Chief Executive at Bowel Cancer UK, says: “Bowel cancer is Scotland’s second biggest cancer killer, with someone dying from the disease every 30 minutes in the UK – that’s three families losing a loved one in the time it takes to play a football match. But it doesn’t have to be this way – when it’s diagnosed early, bowel cancer is treatable and curable. That’s why we’re delighted to be working together with the Rangers Charity Foundation to make sure people can spot the symptoms and visit their GP if something is wrong.

“Rangers has an amazing family of players, fans and staff and we’re thrilled to see them get behind the campaign.”

“We know that when people share their experiences of bowel cancer it helps others learn what to look for and feel more confident to visit their GP. We’d like to thank everyone who comes forward with a story, which helps us all talk more openly about this deadly disease. We can’t wait to stand with The Gers for this important season – we are Ready!”

Foundation Director Connal Cochrane added: “We are delighted to partner with Bowel Cancer UK this season and help get vital messages on signs and symptoms out to fans and the wider public.

“The Foundation celebrates its 20^th anniversary this year, and it’s heartening to look back over all the different partners we have worked with over the last two decades, many of them relating to health, and see the difference our support has made to these causes.”

“Of course, we’re are always looking forward too, and are we’re committed to making a real difference for people across the country through our season-long partnership with Bowel Cancer UK.”