Bowel screening saves lives: stakeholder toolkit

More than 90 per cent of bowel cancers can be successfully treated if they are found early.

In Australia, the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) provides eligible adults aged 50 to 74 years a free bowel screening test in the mail every two years to help detect the early signs of cancer before symptoms occur.

However, screening participation in Victoria has decreased for the first time in many years and currently sits at 43.9 per cent in Victoria (January 2020 - December 2021, AIHW.) In particular, people aged 50 to 54 are still our lowest screeners at 35.3% participation.

To address these low bowel screening participation rates, Cancer Council Victoria is launching a new campaign focusing on bowel cancer survivor Laurie.

At 52, Laurie was fit, healthy and had done a bowel screening test 2 years earlier that was negative. He was about to throw out his latest test until his wife encouraged him to do it.

Shortly afterwards, Laurie was diagnosed with bowel cancer, and if he hadn’t done the test, he would have been dead by now.

Laurie’s story is powerful, and highlights the importance of all Victorians, including those aged 50 to 54 to participate in bowel screening every two years. It addresses the misconceptions some people have about not needing to screen because they don’t have any symptoms or are fit and healthy and highlights the benefits of finding bowel cancer early.

Read more about Laurie’s story

• More than 90 per cent of bowel cancers can be successfully treated if found early. 
• Bowel cancer is the second biggest cause of cancer death in Australia.  
• At 52, Laurie felt fit, healthy and had no cancer symptoms. But after doing his bowel screening test, he was shocked to find he had bowel cancer. If Laurie hadn’t done his bowel screening test, he would be dead by now. He is urging others to do their bowel screening test now, and don’t risk their lives any longer.
• Aged 50 to 74? Don’t take the risk, take the test.
• Bowel cancer can develop without any symptoms and without a family history.
• When you get your bowel screening kit in the mail, open it up and put the test in your bathroom. You can set a reminder to do the test via the Cancer Council Victoria website at www.cancervic.org.au/bowel.
• If you’re aged 50 to 74 you should do the free bowel screening test every two years when it’s sent to you in the mail.
• If you’ve misplaced, lost or your bowel screening test has expired, order a replacement at the National Bowel Screening Register.

The campaign will run across Victoria from late August to mid-November. Our website cancervic.org.au/bowel will showcase Laurie’s story, provide information on what is included in the bowel screening kit and help Victorians to set a reminder to do the test, reorder a new test and learn more about bowel screening.

Help us promote bowel screening through your networks by sharing Laurie’s story and directing Victorians to our website. Bowel screening saves lives. We really appreciate your support. You can also download our new graphics and don’t forget to tag us on social media: @CancerVic.

Title: Don’t take the risk, take the free bowel screening test!

Cancer Council Victoria’s new bowel screening campaign is calling on all Victorians aged 50 to 74 to participate in bowel screening.

Featured in their campaign is bowel cancer survivor Laurie, who would be dead right now if he hadn’t done the free bowel screening test.

At 52, Laurie felt fit, healthy and had no symptoms. Laurie had also done a bowel screening test two years earlier, which was negative.

“That one simple choice to do the test changed my life forever. I look back on everything I’ve done because I did the test, including seeing my daughter graduate, celebrating 30 years of marriage with my wife and taking a road trip with my son.

I can’t believe how much I would have missed if I hadn’t done the test.

Don’t risk your life, do the bowel screening test as soon as you get it. It saved my life, and it could save yours too.”

Eligible Australians aged 50 to 74 years are sent a free bowel screening test every two years as part of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP).

However, participation has recently declined in the NBCSP and sits at only 43.9 per cent in Victoria. In particular people aged 50 to 54 are still our lowest screeners at 35.3% participation. In addition to this decreased screening rate, is Cancer Council Victoria data which estimates there were over 800 missed bowel cancer diagnosis in 2020 and 2021.

As more than 90 per cent of bowel cancers can be successfully treated if they are found early, the free bowel screening test can save your life.

Learn more about bowel screening, reorder a replacement test or set a reminder via Cancer Council Victoria’s website cancervic.org.au/bowel.

As part of this campaign, Cancer Council Victoria will be addressing the unique barriers to bowel screening faced by Victorians from Vietnamese, Punjabi and Hindi speaking communities.

These barriers include:

• A belief that a vegetarian diet will protect them.
• Fear of the test bringing a fatal diagnosis or bad karma.
• Hesitancy around storing the test sample in the fridge.
• Having no symptoms.
• Assuming this is not a disease which affects their community.

We are developing new campaign materials which will focus on enablers to participation which include:

• Content from relevant and trusted health professionals that address the barriers mentioned above.
• Increasing awareness of early detection and improved health outcomes if cancer is found early.

Organisations that support or engage people who speak these languages can use translated materials that are coming soon and direct audiences to our dedicated in-language website pages.