Move your Butt and help beat bowel cancer this June

May 1st 2019

Bowel Cancer New Zealand has launched Move your Butt for bowel cancer awareness month this June. This new campaign encourages all New Zealanders to get off their butts and challenge themselves to move more, as exercising and eating well are proven to help beat bowel cancer. 1

Bowel Cancer New Zealand general manager, Rebekah Heal, says, “No one likes to talk about bowel cancer, yet it kills as many New Zealanders as breast and prostate cancer combined. During June alone, 100 Kiwis will die and a further 250 will be diagnosed. It’s a national emergency and it’s important that New Zealanders are aware of the signs and symptons and most importantly, how to prevent it.”

The campaign runs from the 1st until the 31st of June and Bowel Cancer New Zealand is asking all New Zealanders – young or old, fit or unfit – to Move their Butts more during June. The challenge does not need to be extreme like running a marathon, it simply means challenging yourself to exercise more than you usually do.

Heal says, “So this June, we are aiming to get all Kiwis off the couch and moving more – even if it’s just a 10-minute walk a day. Everyone who takes part will be helping themselves prevent bowel cancer– and by getting their friends and family to sponsor them, they’ll be raising valuable funds to beat this silent killer.”

Move your Butt month is being supported by a range of ambassadors including One News sports commentator Jenny-May Clarkson and Claire Turnbull, nutritionist from Mission Nutrition and Healthy Food Guide.

Clarkson lost her brother to bowel cancer at age 56, so she knows first hand how important it is to seek help early. “I believe he knew something wasn’t right. While he had all the classic symptoms, I’m not certain he was aware that it was cancer.”

She’s taking on the Move your Butt challenge to raise awareness of bowel cancer and its symptoms. “Cancer is such as hideous thing, no matter what kind of cancer it is. But because my brother died of bowel cancer, I’m acutely aware of it.”

So get moving – sign up at www.moveyourbutt.org.nz to help more New Zealanders beat bowel cancer.

Bowel Cancer New Zealand receives no government funding and all funds raised will go towards awareness, advocacy, research and support of people living with bowel cancer.

1 WHO, Global Recommendations of physical activity for health, 2011.

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