Don’t shy from bowel cancer talk
A Bondi woman who lost her brother to bowel cancer at the age of 40 has described the impact of her brother’s death on her family. Anita Bordieri joined leading researcher Professor Mark Molloy for an information event at Royal North Shore Hospital as part of Bowel Cancer Awareness Month. Her brother Andrew died three years ago after a very private battle with bowel cancer. Now Anita is determined to grab every opportunity to discuss the disease. “We had no family history of bowel cancer and it certainly wasn’t on our radar,” she said. “Bowel cancer can happen to anyone and I feel it’s now my purpose to talk about it after our experience. It’s important to get people talking so there’s a broader understanding of the disease and the ways to prevent it.” Bowel cancer is Australia’s second biggest killer, claiming 100 lives every week. About 15,000 people are diagnosed each year, with men and women affected almost equally. Professor Molloy, Lawrence Penn Chair of Bowel Cancer Research, said research holds the key to a change in patient outcomes, and he’s pleased to see a greater collaboration between the clinical
Volunteers Dr Allen Nash, Rick Cassab and Anita Bordieri with Professor Mark Molloy
teams within RNSH and scientific researchers.
“This partnership, together with our new world- leading technology in the Kolling, will provide us with a better understanding of how bowel cancer develops and ways to treat it,” Mark said. Professor Molloy is also encouraging everyone over 50 to take advantage of the free home-testing kit provided by the Australian Government. “These kits are a useful screening tool that can be easily used at home, and save lives by catching cancers early,” Mark said. “When detected early, bowel cancer can be successfully treated in 90 per cent of cases, so I would really encourage people to use the kits, and make sure symptoms, like persistent changes to bowel habits are not ignored.”
6 NSLHDNEWS | ISSUE 12| 4 JULY 2019
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