Bowel Cancer Awareness Month - Put it by the loo, don’t put it off

This Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, BowelScreen is reminding people to complete the simple at-home test that could save their life.

BowelScreen, part of the National Screening Service, offers a free at-home test to people aged from 60 to 69. The test involves taking a small sample of your stool (poo) using a Faecal Immunochemical Test or FIT kit that is sent to your home, and returned to BowelScreen in the post. 

It’s done in the privacy of your own bathroom and is so straightforward that among those that do the test, recent BowelScreen figures show that 90% of people will do it again when invited.

Clinical Director of BowelScreen Professor Pádraic Mac Mathuna said: “This Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, we want to motivate people to take the test as part of their normal healthcare routine in the same way they might visit the dentist or optician for a regular check-up.

“Most people will have a negative screening test. For those who require further tests and have polyps removed the programme offers an important cancer prevention tool. 

“Each polyp removal could prevent a cancer from developing. For those whose cancer is found via screening, most won’t have had any symptoms and it is usually diagnosed at an earlier stage when it can be easier to treat and to cure. 

“BowelScreen is free, you can do it at home, so please consider taking just a few minutes out of your day to take the test to make a long-term positive impact on your health.”

Bowel cancer screening can prevent cancer developing by removing changes in your bowel that could lead to the disease. Recent data shows it can also lead to cancer being detected at an early stage, before symptoms begin, when it can be easier to treat.

However, approximately 20% of people who receive a test don’t complete it, putting it to the back of their minds – and their cupboard – after it arrives through the letterbox. 

That’s why BowelScreen is asking people to make one simple change this Bowel Cancer Awareness Month – put it by the loo, don’t put it off, so the next time you go, you can get it done.

Around 2,600 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer in Ireland every year. It is the second most common invasive cancer in men and third in women - with a higher incidence than cervical cancer.

Common reasons for not taking the test are:
-Embarrassment
-Being put off by the nature of the test
-Fear of finding something wrong 

If you’re aged between 60 and 69 and have yet to receive an invitation to take part in BowelScreen or you have previously been invited but didn’t complete the FIT kit, you can register online or freephone: 1800 45 45 55. You can also email info@bowelscreen.ie to update any of your personal details.