LESS than half of the people on the Mid North Coast eligible for the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program take the trouble to participate - a potentially deadly decision.
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Today marks the launch of a new mass media campaign to promote the screening program.
With low participation rates, Cancer Council NSW hopes the campaign will act as an urgent call for more local residents to complete the free test.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found that participation rates in the cancer screening program on the Mid North Coast are only at 40.3 per cent.
The national campaign, funded by a $10 million Federal Government grant, is the biggest campaign ever run in Australia to promote participation in the bowel cancer screening program.
New research shows that a 2017 Cancer Council Victoria campaign delivered over seven weeks resulted in approximately 12,500 extra Victorians screening for bowel cancer during the campaign period, potentially saving more than 300 people from developing bowel cancer and more than 180 from dying of bowel cancer.
Louise Jeffs, community programs coordinator for Cancer Council's Mid North Coast, said the program promises to be one of the most important cancer control initiatives in Australian history - but more residents need to take part.
"Bowel cancer is Australia's second biggest cancer killer. Many people don't realise it kills more Australians each year than breast, prostate or skin cancer. This is a scary statistic, but the good news is that over 90 per cent of bowel cancer cases can be cured if detected early," Ms Jeffs said.
"So, if you're aged 50-74, when the test arrives in the mail don't put it in the cupboard and forget about it - delaying can easily become ignoring, forgetting and ultimately not doing."
"The test is quick, simple and you can complete it in the comfort of your own home. We know that after doing the test, 78 per cent of people go on to repeat the test when next invited.
"All Mid North Coast residents have a part to play in raising our participation rates and the bowel cancer screening test detects blood in poo, which can be a sign of pre-cancerous lesions and cancers in the early stages and often these don't have any symptoms."
The Australian Government started a phased-in rollout of Australia's free screening program in 2006, with the final two age groups (aged 52 and 56) added to the program for the first time this year.
This means that in 2019, people aged 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72 and 74 will be sent the free test in the mail.
From next year, free bowel screening kits will be sent on a two-yearly basis to all eligible Australians aged 50 to 74.
For more information about the bowel screening campaign visit bowelcancer.org.au
