Bowel health is a topic that many avoid, yet silence around it can have deadly consequences. June marked Bowel Cancer Awareness Month in New Zealand, but the message remains the same. Waitematā Endoscopy is proud to support efforts to break the “poo taboo” and encourage open conversations about symptoms, risk factors, and early action.
New Zealand has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world, where it is the second leading cause of cancer death, with more than 3,000 diagnoses and over 1,200 deaths each year.
Despite this, awareness remains low, and one of the biggest barriers is not a lack of knowledge about the disease itself, but discomfort around talking about bowel habits. Blood in the stool, changes in bowel motion, abdominal discomfort, or unexplained fatigue are often dismissed or self-managed in silence. Many people hope symptoms will settle on their own, but persistent change is never something to ignore.
Breaking the “poo taboo” is not about creating alarm; it is about creating openness. Normalising conversations about bowel health allows symptoms to be addressed earlier, investigations to happen sooner, and outcomes to improve. In many cases, early assessment leads to reassurance. In others, it allows pre-cancerous changes to be identified and treated before they progress. No one ever died of embarrassment, but they do die of bowel cancer!
A colonoscopy is a common and safe procedure that allows us to investigate the inside of the bowel and remove pre-cancerous polyps at the same time. It is one of the most effective tests available for both diagnosing and preventing bowel cancer at an early, and often preventable stage.
At Waitematā Endoscopy, we aim to make taking a proactive approach to your bowel health easy. Our experienced team will help to put you at ease when it comes to your endoscopy. Take a virtual tour of the patient journey and our clinic for an insight of what to expect at www.waitemataendoscopy.co.nz/locations
Dr John Perry
Gastroenterologist and Endoscopist
Waitematā Endoscopy
