Cancer Council NSW is urging everyone throughout the Mid North Coast to do the poo test and boost low participation numbers.

Bowel cancer is Australia’s second-biggest cancer killer.  It kills more people in NSW than prostate cancer, breast cancer, or melanoma.

However, if detected early, bowel cancer can be successfully treated in more than 90% of cases. Therefore, your chance of surviving the disease can improve significantly. The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program is an Australian government initiative that sends out free bowel cancer screening tests to all eligible Australians aged 50-74.  The test will be posted to you every two years around the time of your birthday.

Cancer Council’s Community Programs Coordinator, Louise Jeffs stated, “The test is quick, simple and you can complete it in the comfort of your own home. We know that after doing the test, 80 percent of people go on to repeat the test when next invited. All NSW residents have a part to play in raising our participation rates and saving lives that would otherwise be needlessly lost.

“The bowel cancer screening test detects blood in poo, which can be a sign of pre-cancerous lesions and cancers in the early stages, and often these don’t have any symptoms.”

“What better way to save your life, do the test . . . it’s just so simple,” stated local Member of Parliament, Gurmesh Singh. “And the test kit comes with full easy-to-follow instructions, and what’s even better, there’s no cost involved.”

Another thing you can do to prevent bowel cancer is to eat more foods containing whole grains, dietary fiber, and dairy foods; eating less red and processed meats, being physically active, limiting alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight, and not smoking can all reduce your risk of developing bowel cancer by almost 50%.