A SEAFORD man says that regular bowel cancer tests saved him from a cancer scare.
Danny Neale has performed bowel cancer tests since turning 50. He received a positive result, which was revealed to be a polyp in his colon after further testing. If untreated, the polyp could have developed into deadly bowel cancer.
Neale said he was grateful to have taken the test. “On my first test, I received a positive result which revealed the presence of a final-stage polyp in my colon that could have potentially developed into bowel cancer if left untreated. I feel lucky that the test detected my polyp sooner rather than later and am forever indebted to the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program,” he said.
“I was a nurse many years ago, so I’ve always understood the importance of maintaining good health. Since the age of 50, I’ve consistently done the bowel cancer tests sent to me via the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program without fail.”
Neale has joined the “Get2It” campaign to encourage people aged 50-74 to take the at-home bowel cancer screening test. “I encourage everyone to ‘Get2it’ and do the life-saving test every time it arrives in the mail,” he said.
The federal government sends free screening kits to more than 6 million Australians each year, however just four in ten are completed.
For more information on the bowel cancer test visit cancer.org.au/bowelscreening.