Casey residents aged between 50 and 74 are encouraged to participate in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program following new data which shows the percentage of eligible Victorians who have completed a free bowel screening test has declined.
The Cancer Council Victoria campaign van is visiting the Casey Aquatic and Recreation Centre from 8.30am to 3pm on Friday 20 October and Casey RACE from 9am to 3pm on Saturday 21 October to provide bowel screening information and promote the importance of early detection and bowel screening, with teams on site to deliver take-home information, answer questions, and help set a reminder or reorder a screening test kit.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), fewer than half (43.9 per cent) of eligible Victorians aged 50 to 74 participated in the NBCSP in 2020-2021, representing a 2.6 per cent decline from the participation rate achieved in the 2019-2020 reporting period.
This decline in bowel screening coincides with data from the Victorian Cancer Registry, which reported 3800 fewer cancer diagnoses than what was expected in Victoria over 2020 and 2021, with the greatest decline in missed cancer diagnoses occurring in bowel cancer.
Cancer Council Victoria chief executive Todd Harper AM said it is critical for people to check for bowel cancer early before symptoms show up.
“In 2021, 1,281 Victorians died from bowel cancer, and over 3,713 people were diagnosed,” he said.
“If participation in bowel screening continues to decline, the number of deaths could increase due to diagnosis of bowel cancer at a later stage.
“However, over 90 per cent of bowel cancers can be treated successfully if found early.”
In partnership with the Victorian Department of Health, Cancer Council Victoria are addressing these figures and increasing bowel screening participation via a state-wide campaign featuring the inspiring story of Laurie Cronin, whose life was saved by doing the free bowel screening test.
A father of two, he was only 52, didn’t have any symptoms and felt fine when the bowel screening test came in the mail in 2021, so he ignored it and put it away until his wife strongly encouraged him to make time for it.
To his surprise, Mr Cronin’s test results came back positive, and after further testing, he was diagnosed with bowel cancer.
“I would have been dead by now if I hadn’t done the test, the cancer could have spread quickly based on where it was located and there would have been nothing the doctors could have done for me,” he said.
Laurie’s latest check-up in June 2023 showed he is cancer free.
“I urge everyone to do their bowel screening test as soon as they get it,” he said.
“Do not risk it, it saved my life, and it could save yours too.
“I look back on everything I have been able to do because I did the test, including seeing my daughter graduate, celebrating 30 years of marriage with my wife, taking a road trip with my son, going fishing and watching footy with my mates.”
For more information about bowel cancer screening, visit www.cancervic.org.au/cancer-information/screening/bowel-screening.
