Bendigo cancer screening project aims to save lives – how you can help

Bendigo Community Health Services has launched a community project to increase cancer screening rates and save lives.

The project will focus on getting more people to screen for bowel, breast and cervical cancer.

BCHS has already worked with GPs in the bulk-billed medical practices and staff from other services to raise awareness of the need for more screening and to encourage them to ensure consumers understand the importance.

BCHS Health Promotion Worker Isabel Nichol-Smith urged other Bendigo medical practices and health organisations to do the same.

"Cancer is a leading cause of death in Australia. The death toll for cancer in Australia this year will be around 50,000 people and as a community we must take action,” Ms Nichol-Smith said.

“The most concerning for us is that despite this alarmingly high number of deaths the cancer screening rates in Australia are seriously low. We need to change that and that’s why we are launching this community-led Cancer Screening Saves Lives project with funding from Murray PHN.

“We are going to work hard to increase community awareness of the need for cancer screening, particularly within groups that are most underrepresented such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, refugees and the disadvantaged.

“We encourage people to ask for a cancer screening when they visit their own GP or they can use our bulk-billed medical practices if they don’t have a GP.”

Ms Nichol-Smith said early detection was vital in treating cancers.