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1364 days ago

National Bowel Screening Programme coming to Waikato

Waikato DHB

Kia ora whānau,

Did you know that bowel cancer is the second highest cause of cancer death in New Zealand? Around 3000 of us will be diagnosed and 1200 will die of it each year.

But catching it early can save lives and all it takes to find it is a quick and easy test you can do at home.

The National Bowel Screening Programme is being rolled out across the Waikato region with the aim of reducing the devastating impact bowel cancer has on our communities.

If you're aged between 60 and 74, you will receive a test kit in the mail every two years around the time of your birthday. If that's on an even day (2nd, 4th, 6th) of the month you will receive a kit this year while those on an odd day (e.g 1st, 3rd, 5th) will get theirs in the programme's second year.

The test comes with clear instructions and will help detect early warning signs of bowel cancer. It is free for people aged 60-74 who are eligible for publicly funded healthcare.

If you're not in the screening age range and you have a family history of bowel cancer, you could be entitled to a colonoscopy. Talk to your GP for more information.

If you have symptoms of bowel cancer, don’t wait for screening, talk to your doctor now. Common symptoms of bowel cancer may include:
• a change in your normal bowel habit that continues for several weeks
• blood in your bowel motion.

Although these symptoms are usually caused by other conditions, it’s important to get them checked.

We're encouraging those in the eligible age group to complete the test and send it back, and for whānau to talk to their loved ones about the importance of getting tested.

Do it for you, do it for your whānau.

For more information, visit the Time to Screen website, call 0800 924 432 or talk to your doctor.
Find out more

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More messages from your neighbours
8 days ago

Live Q&A: Garden maintenance with Crewcut

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

This Wednesday, we are having another Neighbourly Q&A session. This time with John Bracewell from Crewcut.

John Bracewell, former Black Caps coach turned Franchisee Development Manager and currently the face of Crewcut’s #Movember campaign, knows a thing or two about keeping the grass looking sharp—whether it’s on a cricket pitch or in your backyard!

As a seasoned Crewcut franchisee, John is excited to answer your lawn and gardening questions. After years of perfecting the greens on the field, he's ready to share tips on how to knock your garden out of the park. Let's just say he’s as passionate about lush lawns as he is about a good game of cricket!

John is happy to answer questions about lawn mowing, tree/hedge trimming, tidying your garden, ride on mowing, you name it! He'll be online on Wednesday, 27th of November to answer them all.

Share your question below now ⬇️

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19 days ago

What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.

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12 hours ago

It’s Riddle Time! Beat the Neighbourhood with Your Smarts!

Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

Which of the following words don't belong in the group and why?
CORSET, COSTER, SECTOR, ESCORT, COURTS

Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.

Want to stop seeing riddles in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.

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