In Australia, June is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month – an annual campaign that aims to raise awareness of the disease.
Every week, 77 Australians die from the cancer, which is the third most common type of newly diagnosed cancer – according to Bowel Cancer Australia.
Bowel cancer facts
Bowel cancer – also called colorectal cancer – affects many Australians. In fact, our country has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world. Incredibly, one in 12 people will be diagnosed with bowel cancer in their lifetime.
What’s important to know is that the risk of bowel cancer increases significantly after the age of 50. And given how easy it is to treat bowel cancer, it’s important to get a bowel cancer screening every one or two years. After all, it could save your life.
Early detection
The theme of Bowel Cancer Awareness Month is ‘saving lives through early detection’. Incredibly, if it’s spotted in the early stages, bowel cancer is among the most treatable cancers.
How to get involved
There are multiple ways to support Bowel Cancer Awareness Month this year: you can sell awareness ribbons, fundraise, donate – or get your workplace or school involved.
For more information, visit the Bowel Cancer Awareness Month website.
