 |
Geoff Jowett (left) is a health and fitness expert who is fronting a new pharmacy awareness campaign which challenges men to undergo screening for bowel cancer. He’s pictured launching the campaign with pharmacist Ron Karas of Alfords Point Pharmacy in Sydney, along with an in-store “Do you have the Guts?” poster featuring NRL Sharks player Chris Heighington. Jowett has a personal reason for supporting the campaign: his mother died of bowel cancer at the relatively young age of 54 – just ten days after being diagnosed. Bowel Cancer Australia ceo Julien Wiggins said that pharmacy continues to be a key option for people interested in accessing bowel cancer screening. “BowelScreen Australia test kits are available in community pharmacies across the country, providing easy access to a simple and effective way of detecting bowel cancer at the earliest possible stage,” Wiggins said. Men have a higher incidence of bowel cancer than women, and they’re also less likely to get to the doctor, he added. “They need a bit more encouragement to take action, so we’ve deliberately set out to challenge men to screen for bowel cancer,” Wiggins said, with “pharmacy a good place to issue that challenge”. “Do you have the Guts?” acknowledges that while it may be hard to talk about bowel cancer or have a test, ultimately it’s in everyone’s best interests to “just man up and do it”. |
