The Jodi Lee Bowel Cancer Foundation has partnered with Diabetes SA to prepare a pre-budget submission for the State Government for a joint bowel cancer and type 2 diabetes risk awareness and screening campaign targeting South Australians aged under 50 from regional, remote, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

This co-designed public awareness and screening campaign was developed because bowel cancer and type 2 diabetes are the sixth and seventh deadliest chronic health conditions for all Australians attributing to more than 6.5% of all deaths. Further, there is evidence that type 2 diabetes significantly increases the risk of bowel cancer four-fold.

Most of the risk factors for type 2 diabetes are the same as for bowel cancer (i.e. poor nutrition, minimal physical activity, stress, smoking, alcohol) and can be reduced through changes to lifestyle. A joint diabetes and bowel cancer awareness campaign providing people an opportunity to check their risk for
both conditions, and if at high risk, engage in a screening test for early diagnosis and intervention, could reduce the impact of two serious and costly conditions.

State Government investment in this low-cost and high impact program will reduce pressure on the local primary and secondary healthcare sectors.

You can download and read our submission here > Jodi Lee Foundation & Diabetes SA Pre-Budget Submission