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Former Dunedin mayor joins the National Bowel Screening Programme

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Former Dunedin mayor, Peter Chin, is urging southern residents to make use of the free National Bowel Screening Programme (NBSP) – especially those within his own Chinese community.

Screening can find cancer early when it can often be successfully treated, as well as remove potentially cancerous polyps, or growths in the bowel. According to the Ministry of Health, people diagnosed with early stage bowel cancer who receive prompt treatment have a 90% chance of long-term survival.

“Cancer can feel like a scary word, but here we have a cancer that can be detected and much can be done to stop its progress,” says Mr Chin

The NBSP provides free testing kits to residents aged from 60 to 74 years old in the Southern region, supporting early diagnosis and intervention. The tests, designed to be used at home, are quick, easy and clean to use.

Despite being outside the age of testing, Mr Chin is throwing his support behind the programme, and encouraging eligible members of the Chinese community to take part.

“Those who aren’t as conversant in the English language may not be aware of community health programmes like the National Bowel Screening Programme,” says Mr Chin. “The Chinese community is always renewing. There are people like me, who were born in New Zealand, as well as new migrants arriving all the time. If they see someone who looks like them advocating for a service, that builds automatic trust.”

Next month, the NBSP will host a series of information sessions for the Chinese community here in the south, in conjunction with Amity Health Centre, Dunedin Chinese Young Professionals and other community groups.

Peter Chin strongly believes it’s better to act with an “abundance of caution” when it comes to health, rather than avoiding check-ups and tests because of fear about potential results.

“Testing is available for free, it’s straightforward, it doesn’t hurt – and you should do it,” he says. “It will either give you total peace of mind, or it will identify a potential problem that will be analysed and treated promptly.

“The earlier you detect bowel cancer, the greater the chance of being cured. Please don’t get into a situation where you regret not taking that test.”

As at 31 January 2019, 52 people in the Southern DHB region have been diagnosed with bowel cancer as a result of free bowel screening, which began here in April 2018. In addition, 385 people with non-cancerous polyps have been identified and treated.

“This is an excellent result for Southern residents and their families, whānau and communities,” says Dr Jason Hill, Clinical Lead for the Southern NBSP. “Through the programme, we’re identifying many patients with polyps, which, over time, can turn into cancer. By removing these, we are helping to lessen the future burden of bowel cancer in our district.”

Dr Hill says if residents notice any potential symptoms – such as a change in their normal bowel habit that continues for several weeks, or blood in a bowel motion – they should see their GP right away, and not wait for their screening test.

Find out more about bowel screening