Turning 50 often prompts people to think more seriously about their health, and for many Australians, this milestone includes receiving a bowel cancer screening kit in the mail from the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP). For Jacqui Feutrill, now a 56-year-old art therapist living in Vasse, completing this test led to the early detection of her cancer.
At the time, Jacqui was 50, living in Lesmurdie, and focused on planning her wedding and settling into a new home. Her bowel cancer screening kit initially sat below a list of other priorities, but as life settled down, she made time to complete it, viewing it as part of her "50-year health tune-up."
"I wanted to do a full medical checkup of myself when I turned 50, so when the test came in the mail it made sense to include that," she recalls.
When the results arrived showing traces of blood in her sample, she assumed it was something minor. However, as per protocol, her GP recommended a follow-up colonoscopy, which revealed she had some polyps in her bowel, some of which tested positive for cancer cells.
Fortunately, because her cancer was caught early, Jacqui only required surgery, avoiding the need for any further treatment such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy. She credits this positive outcome to doing the test and urges anyone with an unused kit to take it seriously.
"I had the kit in a 'to do' pile on my desk. The main barrier was prioritising it and making the time to do it. It kept going to the bottom of the pile."
"I was fortunate that I listened to the prompts to test myself and I didn't leave it any longer. The cancer was discovered early, in Stage one, and it was able to be removed in its entirety."
"The screening kit is easy to use, and it's much simpler than dealing with a more advanced diagnosis," Jacqui shares.
During her recovery, Jacqui credits art therapy with helping her express what words could not and finding relief from her diagnosis.
"It gave me a powerful outlet for processing my emotions, making sense of the situation, and putting it all into perspective."
"Art therapy took my mind off the diagnosis, relaxed me, reduced stress and anxiety, and lifted my mood. It made my thoughts, feelings, concerns and questions visible.
Jacqui's experience highlights the importance of prioritising your health and participating in cancer screening programs like the NBCSP.
Today, she appreciates that the NBCSP has expanded to include Australians aged 45 and older. Through her experience, she hopes that others will recognise the importance of screening and early diagnosis.
Bowel cancer is one of the most treatable cancers, with more than 90 per cent of cases treated successfully if found early.
The risk for developing bowel cancer increases with age, with the largest number of cases diagnosed in people over 45.
Australians are eligible to do the free screening test every two years if they:
- are aged between 45 and 74
- have a Medicare card and entitlement type of either Australian citizen, permanent migrant or register as a Department of Veterans' Affairs customer
- have an Australian mailing address
The bowel cancer screening test is a free, simple test that is done at home. It looks for invisible traces of blood in poo, which could be a sign of cancer or a pre-cancerous growth. People aged 45 to 49 can join the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program by requesting their first free kit here. People aged 50 to 74 will automatically receive a kit in the mail every two years.
If you have misplaced, lost your kit, or would like to request your first screening kit you can ask your doctor, order a kit online
