More Australians need to be doing this simple test.

The latest data from the AIHW (Australian Institute of Health & Welfare) National Bowel Cancer Screening Program Monitoring Report 2026 highlights a clear and concerning gap – too many Australians are still not completing their free bowel screening test.

Between January 2023 and December 2024, only 42% of eligible Australians took part in the program (up slightly from 41.7% in 2022–2023). That means more than half of eligible Australians missed the opportunity to screen for bowel cancer.

This matters, because screening works. The test can detect bowel cancer before symptoms appear – and even find pre-cancerous polyps that can be treated early.

Among those who followed up after a positive result (a screening test which detects traces of blood in bowel movements), 1 in 29 were diagnosed with bowel cancer. It’s a powerful reminder that this simple test is identifying cancers people didn’t know they had.

There is some good news. Once people start screening, they tend to continue, with more than 83% returning to screen again.

And over time, the impact is clear, with bowel cancer death rates significantly reduced since the program began almost 20 years ago, in August 2026.

But participation remains the biggest challenge. And getting people to do their first test is the hardest part.

The screening test is free, can be done at home, and only takes a few minutes, yet many Australians are still putting it off or not doing it at all.

Behind every missed test is a missed opportunity to detect cancer early, when treatment is most effective. That’s why awareness matters.

At the Jodi Lee Bowel Cancer Foundation, our focus is on helping more Australians take that first step, through our awareness campaigns and education initiatives like Talking Sh!t, targeted initiatives for people aged 45–49 like our Op In In October campaign, and community education like our workplace programs and digital education program, Poop Quiz, that opens up conversations around bowel cancer and the importance of bowel screening.

Because increasing participation isn’t just about numbers. It’s about saving lives.

If you’ve received your screening kit, complete it.

If you need another one, re-order yours here.

If you’re aged 45–49, you can request one.

It’s simple. It’s free. And it could save your life.