TRANSCRIPT
Laurie Cronin could have missed his children’s milestones if he had not used a bowel cancer screening test he got in the mail, two years ago.
"When I turned 50, I got sent a free bowel screening kit. And I did that one straightaway on my 50th birthday and I send it off and it was negative. Two years later I got sent another free bowel screening test and at that stage I thought I've done one, I don't need to do it. I'm fit. I'm healthy. I have no symptoms. Why should I do it?"
Bowel cancer -also known as colorectal cancer - is the second deadliest cancer in Australia and the third most common type of newly diagnosed cancer in the country.
According to Bowel Cancer Australia, there are 300 new diagnoses and 103 deaths every week.
54 percent of people diagnosed are male while 46 percent are female.
Bowel cancer risk increases with age, hence, people aged 50 - 74 receive a test kit every two years to check for early signs of the cancer.
But many Australians leave it unattended.
Mr Cronin, a 54 year old father of two, had an initial negative screening test and no symptoms, which gave him peace of mind.
In 2021, he almost threw a follow-up screening kit in the bin, but his wife, Christine Cronin, persuaded him to take it.
"Luckily, I did because that free bowel screening test picked up the bowel cancer that doctor said would have killed me within 12 months if it wasn't diagnosed and treated at that point in time."
The Victorian man is thankful to have had another chance at life.
"It’s just that sliding doors moment, you know, 10 seconds earlier, she would have missed me 10 seconds later it would have been in the bin and it's just, you know, it was incredible timing. Call it fate, coincidence, whatever you like, but I feel very lucky to be here today. "
Cancer Council Victoria and the department of health has launched a lifesaving campaign to encourage all eligible Victorians aged 50-74 to participate in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program.
It comes following concerning figures from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare which indicate a decline in bowel screening.
In 2020-2021, 43.9 percent of eligible Victorians aged 50-74 participated in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme - down from 46.5 percent in 2019-2020.
Victoria also saw 3,800 fewer diagnoses than expected in recent years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cancer Council Victoria’s Chief executive Todd Harper says a lower percentage of people from some culturally and linguistically diverse communities participate in bowel screenings each year.
"The things that we do know is that people who speak a language other than English at home, have a lower participation rate in the bowel cancer screening program. So, what we're aiming to do here is to develop resources for those multicultural communities and particularly the Vietnamese, Punjabi and Indian populations to encourage a greater take up of the bowel screening test amongst those communities. "
Mr Harper adds that the campaign aims to address misconceptions about the disease in many communities.
"We understand that some communities where the diet is largely vegetarian in some cases, there can be a perception that bowel cancer doesn't relate to them because of their diet. So, what we want to do is get out the message that regardless of diet, regardless of family history, this is a really important test for everyone in the community to do when they have the opportunity. it's free, it's painless, you can do it in the privacy of your own home. And if detected early, we know that 90 percent of bowel cancers can be successfully treated."
And Mr Cronin believes bowel cancer doesn't have to be Australia's second deadliest cancer.
"There's a lot of people out there who like me, initially think I don't need to do it because I don't have any symptoms that I don't have any, you know predisposition in my family. But bowel cancer can strike anyone, and it kills thousands and thousands of people each year. And simply by doing this test, you know, it might just save your life so don’t take the risk, take the test."
