Wednesday, 18 June 2025

Bowel cancer

Aiv PUGLIELLI (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (18:25): (1730) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Health, and the action I seek is for her to ensure the government better educates young people on the risks and symptoms of bowel cancer and incorporates frequent testing into medical care for those reaching adulthood. Bowel cancer is rising at an alarming rate amongst young people. It is the most deadly cancer for Australians aged 25 to 44. What is heartbreaking is that 99 per cent of cases would be treatable if caught early. Currently medical guidelines suggest testing every two years, starting at age 45 and continuing to age 74. But the risk of being diagnosed with bowel cancer before the age of 40 has more than doubled since the year 2000.

[NAME AWAITING VERIFICATION]

This was the case for one of my constituents and a person loved by many: her name was Kasey. Kasey passed away in March of this year after a short but fierce fight with stage 4 bowel cancer. Kasey was only 29 years old. Those who knew her say she was a kind and joyful person, the kind of person who found a way to make everyone laugh, even at her funeral, the kind of person who would send a message checking in on how you were doing, even when she was undergoing chemotherapy. Before her diagnosis, she was planning her wedding and had just booked tickets for an overseas trip with her friends. A life tragically cut short, the loss of Kasey is being felt deeply by those who loved her, and this is the reality of so many.

We know that increased awareness and education and more frequent testing could make a difference. Cancer is devastating, and we must do everything we can to catch it as early as possible. We need greater education on symptoms, particularly targeted towards young people who may be unaware that they are at risk. But symptoms may not appear until much later or may be written off as being from other medical conditions. A lingering assumption that bowel cancer only affects the elderly can have devastating consequences. That is why we also need to introduce testing for bowel cancer upon reaching and throughout adulthood, because if it is caught early, 99 per cent of cases are treatable. To anyone receiving this message, visit Bowel Cancer Australia’s website, get tested, look out for symptoms, and if something does not feel or look right, do not ignore it.