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The Bottom Line
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People diagnosed with bowel cancer in the last 5 years are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, but surgery or commencement of anti-cancer therapy remains the priority and should not be delayed for COVID-19 vaccination.

Find out about optimal timing of the vaccination when preparing for surgery or undergoing chemotherapy, as well as important side effects to look out for as a cancer patient, by visiting our webpage.

For specific questions regarding your treatment and the vaccine, speak with your surgeon and/or oncologist.
FURTHER DETAILS
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New My Choices Resource

A metastatic (advanced) bowel cancer diagnosis changes your life and brings many unknowns. It’s unchartered territory and your experience will be unique to you.

Once considered almost certainly terminal, treatment for metastatic bowel cancer has improved significantly in recent years, with advancements leading to the slowing, stopping, and in some cases elimination of the cancer.

As you undergo treatment, decisions may become more complex, the opinions you seek may evolve, and your own priorities may shift.

My Choices has been designed to assist you in navigating your way through that process.

It places you at the centre of your healthcare and considers the parallel decisions you will make about your treatment and your life.

DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE COPY HERE

Making a difference

Bowel Cancer Australia Director Penny Morris AM FAICD FAIA has a big goal - finding a cure for bowel cancer - and she is hoping one day Bowel Cancer Australia and the Bowel Cancer Research Foundation will be a part of that discovery. 

The daughter of two World War II veterans (her mother was a nurse and her father was a pilot), Penny grew up on a farm in Korumburra Victoria.

"Farm life taught you to make practical decisions, solve problems, fix things, kill snakes, and drive machinery as soon as your feet could touch the pedals," said Penny.

Throughout her impressive 30+ year career in corporate governance, Penny has used her commercial acumen and enquiring mind to make an impact and make a difference. 

And for more than 15 years she has been sharing her experience with Bowel Cancer Australia, to help it grow and develop. 

Today, the 100% community-funded charity is recognised as the national 'voice' when it comes to bowel cancer, thanks in large part to the passionate and dedicated group of Directors, including Penny, who are genuinely committed to the charity’s vision and mission. 

READ FULL STORY
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Kick Ass Body Image Advice

If there was one empowering thing you could say to someone who is learning to accept how their body has changed through bowel cancer treatment what would it be?

A bowel cancer diagnosis and the treatments that follow not only have an impact on the physical, but the mental as well. Coming to terms with scars from operations and treatments, adjusting to stomas (whether temporary or permanent), living through some of the more extreme side effects of treatments, embarrassment around changes in bowel habits following bowel surgery and so on, all can have an impact on body image and how you feel about yourself.

As part of our annual Kick Ass campaign - Shelley, Sofiah, Hollie and Shannon share their empowering advice through lived experience.

Having been through it all and now making a concerted effort to focus on self-awareness and acceptance, we asked each of these kick ass women to share a few words about the journey to self-love and learning to accept and appreciate your body following a bowel cancer diagnosis.

Big thanks to all the Kick Ass women who shared their empowering stories, which you can read here.

READ MORE
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My Colonoscopy Experience

This month Bowel Cancer Australia Ambassador Erin Molan shared her colonoscopy experience.

If you are aged 18-and-over and have had a colonoscopy, we invite you to provide feedback about your experience.

My Colonoscopy Experience is a simple online questionnaire that can be completed anonymously, which allows you to report what the colonoscopy experience was like for you, as a patient.

It only takes a small amount of time to complete, but it can have a big impact.

Help us ensure the patient voice is heard, so that future colonoscopy care reflects what patients want and need.

CLICK HERE TO SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE

Every choice can make a difference

Care To Compare is on a mission to help make your decision about private health insurance more impactful, providing consumers with accurate and comparable information about private health insurers, while raising funds for charity at the same time.
 
Proudly supporting Bowel Cancer Australia, Care To Compare supports Australians as they review their budgets and healthcare needs while equally distributing 100% of profits to charitable causes.
 
“Each year Australians who have private health insurance receive a notice that the premiums are increasing. On 1 April 2021, private health insurance premiums are set to increase on average by 2.74%.
 
With almost 1 in 2 Australians having some form of private health insurance they are often left wondering if they are covered for what they might need or if they’re getting good value for what they pay,” said Roberto Pietrobon, Founder and Managing Director at Care to Compare.
 
Care To Compare simplifies the comparison process, by comparing any current health insurance policy from any health fund within Australia.
 
For further details visit the Care To Compare website.

FIND OUT MORE
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Level 2 65 Walker Street North Sydney NSW 2060

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Bowel Cancer Australia is a registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC).