Police diver fronts cancer TV ad

A Metropolitan Police diver is the face of a new bowel cancer charity TV ad campaign.

43 year-old Andy Thom from Sussex was diagnosed with the disease three years ago, shortly before he underwent surgery.

Andy scours riverbeds to find bodies or weapons

But for someone as active as Andy, his illness came as a shock – not to mention that he has a wife and two children.

A follow-up surgical procedure called a reverse ileostomy has gradually enabled him to eat more normal foods.

Looking for support, he contacted the charity Beating Bowel Cancer and found solace in speaking to other sufferers.

Andy is a well-known club diver on the boats operating along the south coast, and when not diving for fun or raising his family, has found time to run marathons in support of his chosen charity.

With a day job as a police diver he’s certainly no stranger to being in uncomfortable situations. The Met Police underwater unit scours riverbeds, lakes and other such testing conditions to find bodies or locate weapons used in crime.

Cancer is another thing entirely and when asked, Andy was happy to front the TV ad campaign. Screened initially on cable channel Yesterday, the Beating Bowel Cancer ad encourages viewers to be in tune with their bodies and aware of the symptoms of the disease.

One in 17 people in this country will be affected by bowel cancer, with people aged over 50 particularly at risk. So make sure you know the signs, and consider donating via the Beating Bowel Cancer website.