Get Behind Bowel Screening is a Cancer Council advocacy campaign that was launched on 6 June 2009 to build support for the full roll-out of the Australian Government’s National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP).
Bowel cancer kills 80 Australians every week, yet nearly all cases can be cured if found early. The Government’s NBCSP provides enormous potential to save lives from bowel cancer, but it currently offers only one-off screening to people turning 50, 55 or 65 before December 2010. That means around five million Australians aged over 50 are missing out on a test that could possibly save their lives.
Cancer Council’s campaign aims to encourage the Australian Government to commit to full implementation of the NBCSP, with biennial screening that targets everyone over 50 years of age by 2012. Regular bowel cancer screening reduces bowel cancer deaths by 33%.
Although the Government has spoken encouragingly about future support for the program, there is no long-term funding commitment or implementation plan. The potential of the program will not be fully realised without increased funding and a clear plan for program expansion.