It is a similar story in the Lakes health district, covering Taupō and Rotorua, where 27,694 were sent between August 1, 2022, and May 26, 2025. Of those, only 15,039 were returned.
These figures are alarming because New Zealand has one of the world’s highest bowel cancer rates, and it is the second-highest cause of cancer.
That means an average of about eight people a day are being told they have it. It’s not just an older person’s cancer either, because more than 350 people under 50 are diagnosed annually.
Many people know someone who has survived bowel cancer or died from it, and much has been done over the past eight years to try to get in front of the problem.
The National Bowel Screening Programme started in July 2017 and has been introduced by all the former 20 district health boards, with Bay of Plenty being the last.
People are invited to join the programme at 60, and are then sent a free home-test kit every two years until the age of 74.
The Government is lowering the eligibility age to 58 nationwide from March.
It has, however, been criticised for axing plans to lower the age for Māori and Pacific people to 50.
The national charity Bowel Cancer New Zealand wants the screening age lowered to match Australia, where it is 45.
It is, understandably, unhappy with the Government’s slow progress.
The media and advertising also play important roles in raising awareness.
There are countless news articles in the media, and the national bowel screening multimedia campaign launched in July 2022 encourages people to take part in screening, emphasising it is free, quick and simple, “and you can do it at home”.
The good news is that Health NZ credits the campaign with raising awareness.
But perhaps among the most powerful weapons for raising awareness are the individual patient stories.
Kiwis such as Tauranga survivor Rachael Ferguson, who was 32 when she was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer in December 2020. She has been “clear” since surgery in February 2021.
Then there’s Rotorua father Matthew Keogan, who was 49 when he was diagnosed in 2021. He was told to get his affairs in order and say goodbye to his family as he might live only another three to six months. He has made a miraculous recovery after chemotherapy and immunotherapy with pembrolizumab (Keytruda).
Last month, Northland’s Cheryl Waaka, a former Black Fern and mother of two teenagers, talked about facing her toughest opponent yet: stage 4 bowel cancer.
There are plenty of other personal stories on Bowel Cancer NZ’s website, each offering an insight into that person’s journey, each offering hope and each helping drive a greater understanding.
All these people are brave and inspirational.
So, given there’s been a national screening campaign, heightened awareness, personal stories, and a lowering of the screening age, a reasonable question remains: Why would people fail to do something simple that costs them nothing but could save their lives?
Reasons could include fear, stigma and people simply not wanting to go through what they perceive as the unpleasant procedure of having to collect samples and send them off.
However, it would be fair to say some people probably can’t be bothered, are ignorant or believe it won’t happen to them.
Whatever the reasons, the Bay of Plenty and Lakes figures are appalling.
As survivor Rachael Ferguson rightly says, there are “so many people under the age of 60 that are screaming out to have those kits” that eligible people not returning them is simply “wasted resources”.
The Government needs to lower the screening age further.
At the same time, everyone eligible needs to take up the offer.
It could save their lives.
Bowel Cancer NZ chief executive Peter Huskinson has the final word.
“That free test in your mailbox doesn’t just detect cancer – it can stop it before it starts,” he says.
“Don’t leave it in a drawer. Put it by the loo and get it done.”
Wise words indeed.
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