B.C. survivors and health professionals urge testing during National Colon Cancer Awareness month
Doctors, patients and advocates are uniting for a reminder to older British Columbians to request a free colon cancer screening test – as we mark National Colon Cancer Awareness month.
The Fecal Immunochemical Test is recommended for people aged 50 to 74. According to BC Cancer, it looks for small amounts of blood in the stool, which can be a sign of cancer or precancerous growths.
"It’s one of the most common cancers diagnosed in British Columbia," says the medical director of the agency’s colon screening program, Dr. Jennifer Telford.
"One in six British Columbians will be diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer in their lifetime," she said.
The take-home tests are available for free from primary care providers. BC Cancer says the risk of colon cancer increases with age, with 80 per cent of cases being diagnosed in people over the age of 50.
If it’s caught in the earliest stage, the survival rate is more than 90 per cent.
"If I could take a look at a balance and weigh the ick factor of doing a simple home-based stool test versus going through years of treatment, possibly not surviving – I think it’s a pretty easy equation," said Barry Stein, Colorectal Cancer Canada’s president and CEO.
SELF-ADVOCATING
A Courtenay woman who was diagnosed with colon cancer in October 2019 is also encouraging people who are eligible to follow up. Although, it didn’t help her.
Manna Wescott was diagnosed when she was 42-years-old before she was eligible for the routine screening – and after she had already been experiencing symptoms.
"Anemia, for example," she says. "I had blood in my stool."
Wescott wants others to learn the signs and symptoms so they can advocate for themselves.
"It’s all about self-advocacy and paying attention to all of the little details," said Wescott.
According to BC Cancer, signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer can also include pain in your lower abdomen or pelvis and a change in bowel habits, such as constipation or different size of stool.
"It took nine months from having some really acute symptoms to finally getting a colonoscopy and then being told on the spot that they knew I had cancer," said Wescott.
Three and a half years since her stage four diagnosis, she says she doesn’t have any evidence of disease. She’s under active monitoring every six months.
"We just hope for the best with every scan," she says.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
WATCH Video shows dramatic police takedown of carjacking suspects chased through parking lot north of Toronto
Police have released video footage of a dramatic takedown of a group of teens wanted in connection with an attempted carjacking in Markham earlier this month.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.
Tesla recalling nearly 4,000 Cybertrucks because accelerator pedal can get stuck
Tesla is recalling 3,878 of its 2024 Cybertrucks after it discovered that the accelerator pedal can become stuck, potentially causing the vehicle to accelerate unintentionally and increase the risk of a crash.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
A couple lost their wedding rings during the ceremony. Two strangers found a fitting solution
Every good wedding has to have one teensy, tiny crisis.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.