The Australian Government has teamed up with the Western Sydney Wanderers Football Club to urge Western Sydney residents to Get2gether to beat bowel cancer.
The free community event held on Friday 25 August 2023 at the Wanderers Fives facility in Rooty Hill encouraged more people to take part in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, which sends free bowel cancer screening tests in the mail every two years to people aged 50 to 74 years.
If caught early, more than 90 per cent of bowel cancer cases can be treated successfully. But only 36 per cent of eligible Western Sydney complete their screening test, compared with a national average of 41 per cent.
The event provided Western Sydney residents the opportunity to meet Wanderers players, hear from community leaders and cancer survivors, and enjoy food, games and activities.
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
“Bowel cancer can develop without symptoms, and can grow in the bowel for years before spreading to other parts of the body.
“When detected early, the vast majority of bowel cancers can be treated. Getting your bowel screening test done as soon as it arrives in the mail could save your life.
“Thanks to the Western Sydney Wanderers for teaming up with us to connect with fans and beat bowel cancer.”
Quotes attributable to Scott Hudson, Western Sydney Wanderers CEO:
“We’re proud to be working with the Australian Government to encourage more of our community to complete their free bowel screening kit.
“Community has always been an integral driver at the Wanderers, so it’s important we do our part to educate Wanderers fans and community leaders on the importance of bowel cancer screening, especially as we know that screening rates are lower in the Western Sydney area.
“Together, we can encourage our community to prioritise their health by taking a free test that could potentially save their life.”
