Health check kit

By Melissa Meehan
DANDENONG Rotarians are again combining with local pharmacies in a project to help detect people with bowl cancer.
Rtn Phil Lunt said early detection was vital and could be lifesaving.
“In Australia there are about 11,000 new cases of colorectal cancer each year and more than half around 5,500 will die needlessly,” he said.
“Every two hours an Australian dies from bowel cancer but most of these lives could be saved with early detection.”
He said over the years Rotary had received many letters of thanks from people who through the Rotary bowl scans have been able to catch the cancer in its early stages and make complete recoveries.
“One Rotary programme [alone] in ten years has managed to assist in the diagnosis of 279 colorectal cancers and 895 polyps,” he said.
“Life is very precious, so don’t play Russian roulette with it , take advantage of this special Rotary project.”
Bowel kits can be purchased for a nominal fee of $6.
The Rotary club of Dandenong will make these kits available at Terry White chemist in the Dandenong Plaza, Dandenong Central Pharmacy on the corner of Walker and Langhorne streets and Chemist Warehouse on Lonsdale Street.
Kits will be available from 1 May and must be returned by 30 May.
The completed kits are to be returned to any one the participating chemist and will then be forwarded to a pathology clinic were a registered pathologist will provide the results which are kept confidential.