Bowel Cancer Awareness Month

June is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month — and while it’s never the most comfortable topic to raise, it might be one of the most important conversations you have all year.

Bowel cancer is Australia’s second deadliest cancer. It doesn’t care how old you are, how healthy you feel, or whether you have a family history of the disease. And here’s the thing that makes it especially confronting: in its early stages, it often shows no symptoms at all.

But there is genuinely good news. When caught early, it is also one of the most treatable cancers we have.

The Numbers Every Australian Should Know

The scale of bowel cancer in Australia is sobering.

• Around 15,500 Australians were diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2024 — making it the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the country. (Cancer Council Australia)
• Approximately 5,239 Australians died from bowel cancer in 2023, representing nearly 10% of all cancer-related deaths. (Gold Coast Private Hospital / AIHW data)
• That translates to roughly 103 deaths every single week — or around one person every 95 minutes. (Bowel Cancer Australia)
• In your lifetime, 1 in 13 Australians will be diagnosed with bowel cancer by age 85. (Cancer Council Australia)
• Bowel cancer is the second most burdensome cancer in Australia — behind only lung cancer — accounting for nearly 98,000 years of healthy life lost in 2024 alone. (AIHW, 2025)

Early Detection Changes Everything

Here is the statistic that matters most:

When bowel cancer is caught at Stage 1, the five-year survival rate is 98.6%. (Bowel Cancer Australia)

Overall, the five-year relative survival rate across all stages sits at around 71–72%. (Cancer Australia) That figure has improved dramatically — up from just 52% in the late 1980s — thanks largely to better screening and treatment.

But here’s the problem: fewer than 50% of bowel cancers are detected early. (Bowel Cancer Australia / AIHW)

Which means the gap between what’s possible and what’s actually happening is enormous — and it’s almost entirely closable through screening.

The Screening Program That’s Saving Lives (But Needs More of Us)

The Australian Government’s National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) sends a free, at-home test kit to eligible Australians every two years:

• Aged 50–74: You should receive a kit automatically by mail (provided your Medicare address is current).
• Aged 45–49: You can request your first kit by calling 1800 627 701.
• Under 45 or over 74 with symptoms or family history: Speak to your GP.

The kit is non-invasive. You do it at home. It checks for microscopic traces of blood in a stool sample that wouldn’t be visible to the naked eye. It takes minutes.

And yet — only around 40% of eligible Australians are actually participating. (AIHW, NBCSP Monitoring Report 2025)

Research published by the National Cancer Screening Register found that if participation rose from 40% to just 60%, over 84,000 deaths could be prevented by 2040. (NCSR)

That’s not a small number. That’s a city.

Know the Symptoms — Even If You Feel Fine

Many people are diagnosed with no prior symptoms at all, which is exactly why screening is critical. But when symptoms do appear, they can include:

• Blood in your stool or rectal bleeding
• A change in bowel habits lasting more than a few weeks (constipation, diarrhoea, or both)
• Unexplained abdominal pain, cramping, or bloating
• A feeling that your bowel hasn’t fully emptied
• Unexplained fatigue or weight loss
• Anaemia

If you notice any of these, don’t wait. See your GP. These symptoms don’t mean you have bowel cancer — but they do mean you need to be checked.

It’s Not Just Older Australians

There is a growing and concerning trend worth highlighting: bowel cancer is rising in younger Australians.

Incidence rates among people aged 20–49 have been increasing both in Australia and internationally. (Cancer Australia, Early-Onset Cancer Statistics) Young people diagnosed with bowel cancer are often found at later stages, when the cancer is harder to treat.

Bowel cancer is no longer just an older person’s disease. If something doesn’t feel right — regardless of your age — trust your instincts and talk to a doctor.

What You Can Do Right

1. Check your Medicare-registered address is current so screening kits reach you.
2. Book your kit if you’re 45–74 and haven’t done a test recently — call 1800 627 701 or speak to your GP.
3. Know your family history — a parent or sibling with bowel cancer increases your risk and may mean you need to screen earlier.
4. Don’t dismiss symptoms — early detection is the difference between a 98% and a 13% survival rate.
5. Talk about it — the discomfort of a conversation could save someone’s life.

Something Worth Thinking About

A bowel cancer diagnosis — even a good-outcome one — turns a family’s world upside down, often without warning.

Suddenly there are medical appointments, treatment decisions, time off work, children’s routines to manage, and financial pressures. And while you’re navigating all of that, the practical side of life still needs to run. People need to know where documents are, what accounts exist, what your wishes are, and who to call.

Most families discover those gaps at exactly the wrong time.

At Handbook of Your Life, that’s the gap we exist to close. Our Personal Affairs Management System gives your household everything it needs to be prepared — your medical information, financial records, personal wishes, and family details — all organised, all in one place, all ready if the unexpected happens.

It’s not about expecting the worst. It’s about protecting the people you love when life doesn’t go to plan.

If Bowel Cancer Awareness Month has prompted you to tick something off your health list, it’s also a good time to tick something off your preparedness list.

Explore the Handbook of Your Life kit range here →

Just been diagnosed? The Health Event Kit was made for this moment.

If you or someone you love has just received a bowel cancer diagnosis, the practical side of life can quickly become overwhelming.

Appointments, medications, test results, emergency contacts, household responsibilities, children’s needs, bills and important documents suddenly need to be organised and accessible.

The Health Event Kit was created to help families keep everything in one place during a health event. It complements your end-of-life planning by focusing on the immediate needs of treatment, recovery and day-to-day life.

When life becomes busy and uncertain, having important information organised can make a difficult situation easier for everyone involved.

Explore the Health Event Kit →

Statistics sourced from Cancer Council Australia, Cancer Australia, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), Bowel Cancer Australia, and the National Cancer Screening Register. All figures current as at June 2026.