Bowel cancer is Australia’s second biggest cancer killer and the third leading cause of cancer deaths among women.

Each year, 6,800 Australian women are diagnosed with bowel cancer and more than 1,700 women die due to the disease.

Bowel cancer is non-discriminatory. It affects women of all ages, with one-in-15 Australian women developing bowel cancer during their lifetime.

If you have a family history of bowel cancer or a genetic predisposition to the disease, if you are aged 50 and above, and have a history of polyps, ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, then you are at risk of bowel cancer.

Fortunately, bowel cancer is preventable, treatable and beatable, if detected early.

Bowel Cancer Australia’s ‘Be Well Challenge,‘ is encouraging women this month to make a promise to be bowel cancer aware, by prioritising their health. This ‘Be Well Week’ (September 21-27, 2015) is urging women nation-wide to support Bowel Cancer Australia by hosting a Be Well Breakfast or Be Well Brunch fundraiser.

This Week aims to reduce women’s collective risk of bowel cancer, and to ‘Eat Well. Move Well. Be Well’, given changes to diet and physical activity can reduce the incidence of bowel cancer by up to 75 per cent.

A bowel cancer screening test is recommended for women aged 50+ every one-to-two years, given the risks associated with the disease increase from this age.

To learn more, head to Bowel Cancer Australia’s website.