Raising awareness of bowel cancer this December

December is bowel cancer awareness month. The disease is the third most common cancer in Australia for both men and women, affecting 1 in 13 Australians.

These statistics make this disease a part of many people’s lives, so let’s find out more about it during bowel cancer awareness month in Australia.

This article will take you through facts about bowel cancer and give you some ideas on how you can raise awareness and show your support.

What is bowel cancer?

“Bowel cancer” refers to a cancer that starts in the large intestine, also known as the large bowel. It may also be called colon cancer or rectal cancer, depending on where the cancer originates.

As we’ve seen in the intro, it’s a common cancer. You are more likely to be diagnosed with bowel cancer if you are over the age of 50.

What are the symptoms of bowel cancer?

• Blood in your stools
• A change in your bowel habit like constipation or diarrhoea that doesn’t go away
• A change in what your stools look like
• Blood in your urine, passing urine frequently or at nighttime or a change in the colour of your urine to a dark or brown colour
• Chronic abdominal pain, cramping or bloating
• Pain in the anal or rectal area
• A lump in the anal or rectal area
• Unintentional weight loss
• Fatigue
• Anaemia

If you experience these symptoms and are concerned about bowel cancer, you should consult your doctor who will examine you and send you for tests to get a diagnosis.

What increases your risk of bowel cancer?

There are some factors that can increase your risk of developing bowel cancer. Let’s take a look at what these are:

• Your age — if you are aged 50 or over, you are more at risk
• A diet that includes high levels of red or processed meat and little fibre
• Your weight — if you’re overweight or obese, you are more likely to be diagnosed with bowel cancer
• Lack of exercise
• Drinking high levels of alcohol
• Smoking
• Polyps in your bowel, which may lead to bowel cancer over time
• Family history — if you have a close relation — for example, one of your parents or a sibling — who was diagnosed with bowel cancer under 50, you may have a greater risk of developing it too
• Previous diagnosis of bowel cancer
• Having some other bowel conditions such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis for more than 10 years

What’s the treatment for bowel cancer?

You may be offered:

• Surgery
• Radiotherapy
• Chemotherapy, which may be given after surgery
• Targeted therapies, which are drugs that make chemotherapy more effective and can stop cancer from spreading
• Palliative care to relieve the symptoms of bowel cancer without trying to cure it — it can include drugs for pain relief, for example

How can I show support during bowel cancer awareness month?

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with bowel cancer, it will feel natural to want to do something to raise awareness and show support. Here are some of our ideas:

• Do a sponsored walk, run or hike to raise funds and awareness for bowel cancer.
• Hold a sponsored bake-off at work. Everyone who enters pays a small fee, which can be donated to bowel cancer charities.
• Create an awareness noticeboard at your place of work or education. You can include facts about bowel cancer and signpost people to where they can get further information and help. Try the Bowel Cancer Australia website for facts on bowel cancer and links to support and services

Further, medical alert bracelets are a simple yet effective way to raise awareness of bowel cancer this December. Choose a comfortable and durable silicone wristband for an accessory that not only looks good but also communicates your message. Remember that awareness bracelets can be custom made to suit any condition or message, so you can have any words you like added to them. You could also wear awareness bracelets in red or green, the colours often used to symbolise bowel cancer — or wear one in both colours!

Shop for your medical ID bracelet in Australia

Just by reading our article on bowel cancer awareness month, you have already taken a step in the right direction! Now you are armed with the basic facts about bowel cancer and know what to look for and where you should go for help if you are affected by this disease.

If you’d like to support bowel cancer awareness in Australia this December, why not choose a medical ID bracelet from our collection? We offer ready-to-wear and customised bracelets, which can serve the purpose of either providing medical information about the wearer or raising awareness about a disease or condition.

It’s a simple and heartfelt way to show you care this December about this disease that affects so many Australians.