Test for Cancer from the Comfort of Your Own Throne

More New Zealanders die annually from bowel cancer than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined, yet there is no national screening programme in place to help identify those New Zealanders with very early signs of the disease, a key requirement to good treatment outcomes. This Bowel Cancer Awareness Week aims to raise awareness of this serious but silent killer and educate Kiwis on how to take first step in detection.

 
"75% of bowel cancer can be cured if caught and treated early, but we must encourage everyone to vigilantly keep an eye out for symptoms and in lieu of a national screening programme we must all monitor ourselves," advises Rachel Holdaway, Chairperson of Beat Bowel Cancer Aotearoa.

"New Zealand women have the highest rate of bowel cancer in the world, while Kiwi men have the third highest – this is a serious problem that needs serious attention. People between the ages of 50 and 74, even those without symptoms, are at greater risk so need to be particularly mindful of the early signs of possible bowel cancer; a test can be done from the comfort of your own home."

Research has shown that an alarming half of all New Zealanders are not aware of the symptoms of bowel cancer. Key symptoms to look for which should prompt you to see your doctor:

• Bleeding from the bottom or seeing blood and mucous in the toilet after a bowel motion

• Change of bowel habits over a period of 6 weeks without returning to normal, including wanting to go to the toilet more often, looser bowel motions or feeling that you can't completely empty your bowel

• Persistent or periodic severe abdominal pain

• A lump or mass in your abdomen

• Tiredness and loss of weight for no reason

• Anaemia

The current government is the first to take any steps towards recognising the impact of bowel cancer by implementing a screening pilot in the Waitemata District Health Board area. While the pilot has been successful in the early detection of the disease, the Hon. Tony Ryall has stated that until this pilot is completed and the results analysed no plans for a national screening programme will be made. Beat Bowel Cancer Aotearoa believe this approach will cost us 3,000 lives in the meantime, many of which would have been saved by a screening programme.

"We call on the Minister of Health to continue the good work of the pilot programme by committing to a national screening programme and beginning an incremental roll – out to other regions of New Zealand now. We simply cannot wait until 2016 to find out if this is an option. Every week we wait, we miss the opportunity to identify bowel cancer in its early stages, get treatment in time and save lives," says Ms Holdaway.

To donate to Beat Bowel Cancer Aotearoa and assist them in helping sufferers of bowel cancer and their families, please visit www.beatbowelcancer.org.nz.