Ben and Owen Franks Tackle Bowel Cancer

PRESS RELEASE

Tuesday June 5, 2012

Ben and Owen Franks Tackle Bowel Cancer

Beat Bowel Cancer Aotearoa launches second Bowel Cancer Awareness Week (4-10 June, 2012)
This week (June 4-10) marks New Zealand’s second ever official Bowel Cancer Awareness Week. Beat Bowel Cancer Aotearoa is pleased to announce star rugby brothers, Ben and Owen Franks, as its latest supporters of the cause in 2012.

Each year bowel cancer kills more New Zealanders than prostate and breast cancers combined, with Kiwi women having the highest rate of bowel cancer in the world, and men the third highest.[1]

Ben and Owen were inspired to raise bowel cancer awareness after a close family member became affected by the disease. They say they never knew how bad the statistics were in New Zealand until then.

“We’ve got a close family member going through bowel cancer. It’s obviously a tough thing to go through, but can be very treatable when detected early,” said Owen.

This year Beat Bowel Cancer Aotearoa has launched the ‘bum shorts,’ that will be worn by collectors across the country during Bowel Cancer Awareness Week. The shorts, as worn by Ben and Owen, send the message to all New Zealanders – ‘don’t sit on your symptoms!’ Bowel cancer is preventable, treatable and beatable, particularly if caught at the earliest stages.

It is estimated death rates from colorectal cancer could be reduced by 15-30% if a National Screening Programme was implemented in New Zealand. [2]

Beat Bowel Cancer Aotearoa deputy Chairperson Alison Ellison said: “It could be 10 years before we have a national programme, during which time another 12,000 New Zealanders will have died from colorectal cancer – over 4 times the road toll,” she said.

“If the government were serious about cutting our world-leading death rates, they would have announced a commitment to a national programme.”

“Bowel Cancer is seen as the ugly cousin of breast cancer – yet screening is at least as effective, and international evidence suggests it is similarly cost-effective,”[3] Ellison said.

About Beat Bowel Cancer Aotearoa
Beat Bowel Cancer Aotearoa (New Zealand) is a nationwide patient-led charity aiming to decrease the impact of bowel cancer in New Zealand and help save lives from New Zealand’s most common cancer.

Beat Bowel Cancer Aotearoa does not receive any government funding and is dependent on donations from the New Zealand community to continue to drive bowel cancer awareness and provide education and support services for people affected by bowel cancer and their families.

Donations can be made via the Beat Bowel Cancer website: www.beatbowelcancer.org.nz or you can Txt beat to 4740 to donate $3.

Bowel Cancer Warning Signs
Bowel habits can often change, but if you have any of the following symptoms, Beat Bowel Cancer Aotearoa advises seeing your health professional.

• Rectal bleeding without obvious reason.
• A persistent change in bowel habit, especially going to the toilet more often or having looser stools for several weeks.
• Abdominal pain
• A lump in your tummy
• Weight loss and tiredness
Donations and information at: www.beatbowelcancer.org.nz

ENDS

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