19 October 2009
MEDIA OPPORTUNITY
Celebrities get behind bowel cancer
What: Celebrities will join Melbournians at the tee-off at the 2009 Let’s Beat Bowel Cancer Golf
Classic to support bowel cancer research and public awareness.
Celebrities include cricketer, Shane Warne, TV personality and veteran musician, Geoff ‘Coxy’ Cox,
former Hawthorn footballer, Ben Dixon and tennis champions Todd Woodbridge and John
Fitzgerald.
When: Tuesday, 27 October 2009. Media opportunity at 11.15am before play.
Talent includes Warne, Cox, Dixon, Woodbridge, and Fitzgerald.
Interview opportunity with Emeritus Professor Adrian Polglase, Chairman, Let’s Beat Bowel Cancer -
a health promotion initiative of Cabrini Health.
Where: The Clubhouse, Kingston Heath Golf Club, Kingston Road, Cheltenham.
Background: 1 Australian dies every 2 hours from bowel cancer. Funds raised from the Golf
Classic will benefit bowel cancer research activities at Cabrini Health, a not-for-profit healthcare
service. This includes community awareness and education campaigns that inform Victorians about
the risk of bowel cancer as well as preventative measures.
Bowel cancer is the most common internal cancer affecting men and women in Australia.
One Australian dies every two hours from bowel cancer.
Bowel cancer is the second biggest cancer killer after lung cancer and affects men and
women almost equally
One in 20 Australians will develop bowel cancer. This increases to one in 10 if an immediate
family member has had bowel cancer.
The risk of bowel cancer increases significantly if you are over the age of 50, and continues
to increase with age.
Around 5,000 Australians die each year from bowel cancer - that’s almost 100 people each
week.
11% of bowel cancer is attributable to being overweight
14% of bowel cancer is attributable to physical inactivity.
Screening saves lives – an annual Faecal Occult Blood Test (FOB test) can help prevent the
disease through early detection and treatment.
With early diagnosis the cure rate is over 90%.
Research shows that lifestyle factors – healthy diet, physical activity and a healthy weight
range – could reduce the number of Australians diagnosed with bowel cancer by 25%.
For further information, contact:
Jackie Meiers - Cabrini Health Public Relations
Tel: 9508 1915 Email: jmeiers@cabrini.com.au
NEWS 
