Nationals MPs encourage Australians to check their bowels
Nationals MPs Barnaby Joyce, Keith Pitt and David Gillespie have scheduled long-overdue bowel screening tests for themselves and are encouraging Australians to do the same.
Minister for Agriculture Barnaby Joyce said Bowel Cancer Awareness Month was as good a time as any to remind people to see their pharmacist or GP about having a bowel cancer screening test done.
âBowel cancer is the second biggest cancer killer of Australians, despite it being one of the very few preventable cancers,â Mr Joyce said.
âAbout 90 per cent of bowel cancer cases can be treated successfully if found early, but unfortunately fewer than 40 per cent are detected early.â
Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt said it was during an ad-break in last monthâs State of Origin game that the three MPs realised they were due for a check-up.
âItâs something men donât typically like to talk about, let alone get tested for,â Mr Pitt said.
âMost people think it only impacts men over the age of 50, but the fact is bowel cancer affects men and women, young and old.â
Member for Lyne David Gillespie, who is a gastroenterologist, supported his colleagues.
âThe Coalition Government is investing an additional $95.9 million to ensure Australians aged 50 to 74 receive a free, at home bowel cancer screening kit every two years by 2020,â Dr Gillespie said.
âThose people who experience symptoms such as blood in the bowel movement, unexplained weight loss or abdominal pain need to see their doctor for a colonoscopy.
âRegular consumption of high fibre and calcium rich foods, such as apples and milk, and limiting your alcohol and red meat intake can help protect against bowel cancer.â
Bowel Cancer Australia CEO Julien Wiggins thanked the MPs for their advocacy, and welcomed the Governmentâs listing of important bowel cancer treatments on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
âErbitux and Avastin are now available as first-line and second-line treatment options for patients with metastatic bowel cancer,â Mr Wiggins said.
âThe availability of these treatments, together with greater access to screening, will help improve bowel cancer survival rates which are currently at 66 per cent while other common cancers are at around 90 per cent.
âMedical guidelines recommend screening from age 50 every 1-2 years. Screening can be accessed via the Federal Governmentâs free program if you are 50, 55, 50, 65, 70 & 74. Everyone else needs to see their GP or pharmacist for a BowelScreen AustraliaÂŪ test.â
You can support the important work of Bowel Cancer Australia on Red Apple Day (Wednesday June 17, 2015) by purchasing a Bowel Cancer Awareness Ribbon or participating in a fundraising event near you. For more information go to www.redappleday.org. June is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month.
[ENDS]