The Jodi Lee Foundation is proud to be partnering with TerryWhite Chemmart to re-launch our national awareness campaign, Trust Your Gut, to educate Australians on the symptoms of bowel cancer, what they are and when to act. The Trust Your Gut campaign also encourages everyone to trust their ‘gut feeling’ when something doesn’t feel right by acting on symptoms and talking to your GP.
At the core of the Trust Your Gut campaign is a user-friendly online Symptom Checker tool. The Symptom Checker guides the user through a series of questions to respond to, while providing helpful advice and information based on the answers provided.
Overall, it encourages the user to act on symptoms, be healthy and active, explore their family history and do a bowel screening test kit.
At the face of the Trust Your Gut campaign is Kellie Finlayson, Jodi Lee Foundation Ambassador and wife of Port Adelaide key forward Jeremy Finlayson. Kellie was diagnosed with bowel cancer at just 25 years old. Now Kellie is on a mission to raise awareness for the early detection and prevention of bowel cancer, urging everyone to trust their gut and see a GP if something is not right.
“Regardless of your age, if you are experiencing symptoms such as blood in your poo, changes in your bowel habits, unexplained tiredness or weight loss, or stomach pains, go and see your doctor. Trust your gut, it could save your life,” says Kellie.
Three months prior to Kellie’s diagnosis, she had given birth to their beautiful daughter Sophia and was suffering from severe constipation and terrible abdominal pains. She brushed this off as postpartum symptoms, but when she found blood in her stool, she had a gut feeling something wasn’t right.
Following a colonoscopy, Kellie was told she had stage three bowel cancer. After further tests it became evident that the cancer was tracking up her back and this was sadly upgraded to stage four.
Reflecting on the last few years, Kellie says she wishes she acted on her symptoms sooner.
“As a female, it is so easy to pass off these symptoms as so many other things,” she says.
“I was googling my symptoms and just assumed I had a food intolerance, or worst-case scenario irritable bowel syndrome.
“Cancer never even crossed my mind – it was something I didn’t think I would ever have to think about.”
Nick Lee OAM, Founder and Chair of the Jodi Lee Foundation, explained that when he established the Jodi Lee Foundation in 2010, bowel cancer was the ninth deadliest cancer in Australia.
“It is sadly now the second-leading cause of cancer related death in Australia and more than 15,500 Australians are diagnosed with the disease each year,” says Nick.
“We understand bowel habits can be a taboo subject, but it is so important to understand the symptoms of bowel cancer and act on them for early detection of the disease,” urges Nick.
Incidences of bowel cancer in young people have risen 266% in the past three decades in Australia. In addition, adults under 50 have been shown to present with more advanced stages of bowel cancer due to a seven-week to two-year delay in diagnosis. This is thought to be due to a low level of suspicion for bowel cancer by clinical providers who assume a benign diagnosis such as irritable bowel syndrome, haemorrhoids, food intolerances, or similar.
However, if detected early, up to 99% of bowel cancer cases can be successfully treated. Not only are the survival rates much higher in stage 1 bowel cancer patients (99%) than stage 4 (13%), but bowel cancer has the potential to be prevented through removal of pre-cancerous polyps via a colonoscopy.
Brenton Hart, Chief Pharmacist at TerryWhite Chemmart, emphasises that bowel cancer isn’t confined to older generations. “We’re seeing a troubling rise in bowel cancer cases among younger people. Raising awareness and timely action are more important than ever.”
Hart continues, “At TerryWhite Chemmart, we are committed to encouraging our communities to be proactive in managing their health and to be aware of changes in their bodies. If you experience symptoms like blood in your stool, changes in bowel habits, pain, bloating, cramping, unexplained fatigue, or weight loss, don’t hesitate to visit your GP or local pharmacist. You should never feel embarrassed about seeking help.”
Hart also urges Australians to stay informed about their family’s medical history regarding bowel cancer. “For those with a family history, speaking to your GP is essential. They can provide tailored advice and may recommend further investigations to assess your risk.”
“TerryWhite Chemmart is proud to partner with the Jodi Lee Foundation in this campaign to raise awareness of bowel cancer symptoms and encourage our communities to take charge of their health. Together, we can help people recognise potential signs early and seek the help they need.”
TerryWhite Chemmart also encourages Australians to know their family history as their risk may be greater, to get screened regularly, and to make diet and lifestyle changes such as avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, maintaining a healthy weight range, exercising regularly, avoiding sitting down for too long, increasing fibre intake, and eating a healthy, balanced diet while avoiding saturated fats or processed meats.
“If you don’t feel quite right and are experiencing changes that don’t feel ‘normal’ for you, go and see your doctor. You know your body better than anyone, so you need to advocate for yourself and your health,” encourages Kellie.
For more information, visit: