A Scots woman now living in Australia has welcomed upcoming changes to the country's bowel cancer screening policy saying it could have prevented her own disease. From July 1, people from the age of 45 will be sent testing kits, five years younger than most countries including the UK. All those aged 45-49 have been sent messages alerting them to the change and urging people to "Poo.
Post.Poke!" The Australian Government said it is lowering the eligible screening age in response to recent updates to clinical guidelines for the early detection of colorectal cancer which were approved by the National Health and Medical Research Council. The American Cancer Society (ACS) has recommended initiating colorectal cancer screening from 45 years of age instead of 50.
Scotland and the rest of the UK screen people from the age of 50 (Image: NHS Scotland) It comes amid new, global statistics showing cancer rates in the under-50s rose by 79% - to 3.26 million - between 1990 and 2019. Paula Morrison found out on May 17 - five days after her 49th birthday - that she has bowel cancer but doctors are hopeful it has been caught at an early stage .
"I know people will just think that it's something that will never happen to them," said the midwife, who lives in Sorell in Tasmania. "I know I kind of felt that way. As a family, we have a pretty good diet.
We eat plenty of fresh fruit and veggies, we don't eat a lot of processed foods, and only have red meat once a week. "But if the powers that be ha.
