Budget success for bowel screening, but more is needed

Thanks to your support, in 2011 the Australian Government reinstated the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program with a commitment to permanent funding. This means we will never again have a situation where the future of the program is uncertain, as we did at the end of 2010.

The bad news is that the program is still falling a long way short of its potential to save lives as it still only sends free bowel cancer screening tests to Australians aged 50, 55 and 65.

We always knew it was going to be tough and the fact that $140 million was allocated in 2011 to continue the program is a testament to what we can achieve when we all work together.

Cancer Council Australia is continuing to advocate strongly for free, regular screening for ALL Australians aged 50 and over in the 2012-13 budget. We're going to need your help of course, because it is with your support that we can show the Government how important this issue is to our community. You can send a letter to your Federal MP and join our push for free bowel cancer tests - Get Behind Bowel Screening.