June is bowel cancer awareness month – An initiative by the community-funded charity – Bowel Cancer Australia. A month for raising awareness of Australia’s second deadliest cancer. Funds raised for this charity are dedicated to championing what matters most to people impacted by bowel cancer and empowering everyone affected to live their best life.
$5 from every copy of My Mum Wets Her Plants sold via InHouse Bookstore for the month of JUNE – will be donated directly to Bowel Cancer Australia.
My WHY
In 2021 my beautiful, happy, and bubbly cousin aged only 32 years passed away from bowel cancer after being diagnosed just 11 months prior. During those 11 months she was a huge advocate for helping to raise awareness of bowel cancer symptoms to help prevent others from being diagnosed too late. She did this during the darkest time in her life.
Tash was one of those people who feel like sunshine the instant you start talking to them. You know the ones. The human forms of sunflowers in my opinion. I am so happy to have known her.
So please, for Tash, for yourself, for your family…
Give a sh*t about your bowels!
Learn about the symptoms and get to know your own bowel habits so that you can recognise if there is ever something not quite right.
Early detection is key.
What are the symptoms of bowel cancer?
*Any of the below symptoms could be indicative of colon or rectal cancer and should be investigated by your GP if they persist for more than two weeks*
- Blood in your poo or rectal bleeding
- A recent, persistent change in bowel habit (e.g. diarrhoea, constipation or the feeling of incomplete emptying)
- A change in the shape or appearance of your poo (e.g. narrower poos or mucus in poo)
- Abdominal pain or swelling Pain or a lump in the anus or rectum
- Unexplained anaemia causing tiredness, weakness, or weight loss
(this information is directly from www.bowelcanceraustralia.org)
A note on the symptoms…
Not everyone experiences symptoms, particularly in the early stages of bowel cancer. Symptoms can also be due to other medical conditions, some foods or medicines.
TIPS: Don’t delay in talking to your GP if you are experiencing symptoms for two weeks or more, because when diagnosed early almost 99 percent of cases can be successfully treated.
Blood in the stool or rectal bleeding should never be ignored.
I’ve heard of a Colonoscopy – What is it?
If you have any of these symptoms/family history, your GP may send you for this procedure. A colonoscopy is a quick and generally painless procedure that allows for the full examination of the entire inner lining of your bowel (colon and rectum).
During the procedure, the colonoscopist spends most of the time looking for changes to the normal landscape of your bowel lining and removes anything that looks suspicious, like growths called polyps.
What does Bowel Cancer Australia do to help?
Bowel Cancer Australia is a 100% community-funded national charity dedicated to prevention, early diagnosis, research, quality treatment and care, so everyone affected by bowel cancer can live their best life.
Money donated goes to:
- Research for treatment of bowel cancer
- Supporting patients and their loved ones via:
- Providing access to Bowel Cancer Nurses
- Providing access to Nutritionists
- Patient resources including counselling
- Screening programs & awareness campaigns
Birchy’s Books
Throughout the month of June, I’ll be sharing more on the symptoms of bowel cancer and what Bowel Cancer Australia can do to help those who are affected by this disease – via my Instagram page – @birchysbooks.
“It is a common misconception that bowel cancer is ‘an old person’s disease’, but the reality is that you should never be told that you are too young to have bowel cancer.”
Bowel Cancer Australia
DID YOU KNOW?
- Bowel cancer is the deadliest cancer for Australians aged 25-44
- Young onset bowel cancer affects men and women almost equally
- Every 33 minutes an Australian is diagnosed with bowel cancer
- In Australia, bowel cancer is the 2nd deadliest cancer (The 1st is Lung cancer and the 3rd is Prostate cancer)
- Bowel cancer risk does increase with age
My WHY
Last year, my lovely Nanny also passed from bowel cancer – she was just shy of 99 years old.
My Nanny was another of those sunflowers and I am so very grateful to have had her in my life for so long – though for those we love and who love us back – it never feels like long enough, does it?
Please don’t put off seeing a doctor because you may be ‘embarrassed’ by your symptoms or you’re ‘too busy’ and keep delaying an appointment
Natasha Pozzebon – Aged 32.
HOW TO DONATE?
You can donate directly to Bowel Cancer Australia by visiting their website here.
If you would like to get a copy of My Mum Wets Her Plants as a way of contributing – you can visit InHouse bookstore here – $5 from every book bought in June will be donated directly to Bowel Cancer Australia.
And remember…
Give a sh*t about your bowels & don’t let the topic of poo become taboo!
Get familiar with the symptoms –
The information throughout this article is sourced from Bowel Cancer Australia’s website.
For more detailed information on what this charity can do to help those affected by this horrible disease, please visit their website where you will find a huge range of resources available.
#BowelCancerAustralia #BowelCancerAwarenessMonth #BowelCancer #Never2Young
Article by Courtney Birch
