Poo, Poke, Post – Bowel Cancer Awareness Month

Media release – Kathrine Morgan-Wicks, Secretary, Department of Health, 3 June 2022

Bowel Cancer Awareness – Poo. Poke. Post.

This week marks the start of Bowel Cancer Awareness Month and I want to encourage all Tasmanians aged over 50 to do their bowel screening test.

Bowel cancer is the second most common cancer and second leading cause of cancer-related deaths for men and women in Tasmania.

Importantly, if detected early, bowel cancer can be successfully treated in more than 90% of cases.

This month, the Department of Health will be promoting the straightforward message, “Poo. Poke. Post – it could save your life”, in a bid to increase the number of Tasmanians screening for bowel cancer.

From the age of 50, your risk of bowel cancer increases and often there are no early warning signs. If you are aged 50 to 74, the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program will send you a free bowel screening test to your Medicare-registered address. It’s important you do the test when you receive it, every two years.

While our participation rate is above the national average, currently less than half us are doing our bowel screening tests.

This Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, I urge all Tasmanians, do your free bowel cancer screening test when it’s sent to you, every two years. The test is quick and easy to do. Just three simple steps: Poo.Poke.Post.! It could save your life.

Please, don’t put it off. Make bowel screening a priority, and encourage your family, friends, and colleagues to do the same.

If you haven’t received your screening kit or want to know when your next kit is due, call the National Cancer Screening Register on 1800 627 701.

For more information, contact our local bowel screening nurses at the Tasmanian Bowel Cancer Prevention Program by phone on 03 6166 8970, email at tas.bowelscreen@ths.tas.gov.au or visit www.health.tas.gov.au/cancerscreening