Bowel screening message to be shared at Sanford

Workers at Bluff’s Sanford fisheries will learn more about bowel health and bowel screening this week, as they receive a visit from the Southern DHB’s National Bowel Screening Programme team.

The information session aims to raise awareness of healthy habits and encourage participation in the National Bowel Screening Programme, which is free for those who are aged 60-74 and eligible for publicly-funded health care.

About 32 staff will attend the presentation, which takes place from 11.30am-12.30pm on Wednesday 23 October.

“Our SAN Well team proactively develops various initiatives to support the wellness of our staff and their families and communities here in Bluff,” says Warren Crighton, Site Manager. “It is important to us that we support, encourage and inform staff on matters of health and wellbeing such as bowel screening, and then they in turn can share that information with their family and friends.”

Participation in the National Bowel Screening Programme remains high in Southland at 70% overall, compared with 63% nationally.

However, this means 30% of Southland residents who have received invitations to participate are yet to do so.

Southern DHB National Bowel Screening Programme Manager, Emma Bell, is encouraging these residents to take part. “We know sometimes people put off doing the test because they are scared of getting a positive result, but early diagnosis increases the chances of having straightforward and successful treatment,” she says.

According to the Ministry of Health, people diagnosed with early stage bowel cancer who receive treatment early have a 90% chance of long-term survival.