Brett Morrison lost his wife to bowel cancer two years ago but is hopeful a national bowel screening programme being rolled out will save others.
Bowel screening will be rolled out in Southland and Counties Manukau in the next year thanks to a funding boost announced in the 2017 budget.
More than 100 Kiwis die of bowel cancer each month - about the same number who die from breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. New Zealand has one of the highest bowel cancer diagnosis and death rates in the developed world.
Health Minister Jonathan Coleman said $38.5 million of new operating funding had been made available to support the staged implementation of the national bowel screening programme over four years.
"The roll-out of the national bowel screening programme is on track, and begins in Wairarapa and Hutt Valley DHBs in July this year. The additional funding will support the roll-out to Southern and Counties Manukau DHBs during 2017/18," Coleman said.