ROTARIAN Max Fry says he looks to Ballarat's Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute to help tackle one of Australia's biggest killers because he felt the team was "getting somewhere".
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Bowel cancer is Australia's second biggest cancer killer, claiming about 100 lives each week. Mr Fry said what was most concerning was an increasing number of young people being diagnosed with the deadly disease.
Australia's national bowel cancer screening program offers free testing kits to everyone aged 50 to 74.
My Fry said this did not cater to those younger than 50 who were wanting a test but this was where Rotary's bowelscan kit - which requires a brush of stools, rather than collecting a sample - could come in handy.
Bowel Cancer Australia's Never Too Young awareness campaign highlights one in 10 Australians diagnosed with the disease were aged under 50.
In the United States the screening age was lowered to 45 due to a rise in bowel cancer rates in younger people.
The Rotary Bowelscan community program has donated a further $50,000 in funds raised from its kits to Ballarat research into the deadly disease. This adds to $70,000 in funds from the program for FECRI the past two years.
"Any of our funds must go to bowel cancer research and I think we're getting somewhere with the work Jason (Kelly) and his team are doing at FECRI," Mr Fry said.
IN OTHER NEWS
FECRI is Australia's only regionally-based cancer research hub. The institute receives no government funding, instead relying on community donations and philanthropy to carry out its research, which is recognised worldwide.
FECRI scientists are working across a range of specialist cancer programs, primarily but not limited to the role of the body's immune system in tackling cancer cells.
Mr Fry reiterated Bowel Cancer Australia's advice that the best way to beat bowel cancer was regular testing.
When diagnosed early, almost 99 per cent of bowel cancer cases can be successfully treated.
Tests do not detect cancer but do screen for blood in stools, which can indicate pre-cancerous polyps or early stage cancer. Blood can also be linked to other conditions and some bowel cancers do not bleed, or bleed intermittently.
Mr Fry said this was why regular testing and knowing symptoms was important.
Bowel cancer symptoms can also include a change in bowel habits, abdominal swelling or bloating, unexplained anaemia, lumps or pain in the anus or rectum area, and not feeling completely empty after going to the toilet.
For more details: rotarybowelscan.com.au.
Have you tried The Courier's app? It can be downloaded here.
