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Cheap, easy cancer tests in May

Harvey Rotary Club secretary Bill Russell and pharmacist Vincent Cosentino encourage residents to take advantage of subsidised $12 bowel scan kits in May.

Bowel cancer and its early detection will be in the spotlight in the month of May - known as Rotary Bowelscan Month for some years.

Harvey Rotary Club and Harvey Pharmacy owner Vincent Cosentino will again join forces to raise awareness of the early symptoms of bowel cancer and offer subsidised test kits for people from 40 years of age.

Rotary secretary Bill Russell said the annual initiative had been adopted by Rotary clubs throughout WA, with clubs subsidising costs so residents could buy a kit for $12.

He said it was part of the club's community service and praised Mr Cosentino for his ongoing support.

More than 4000 people a year die from bowel cancer but the disease is curable if diagnosed in early stages.

The simple test takes just a few minutes to complete and screens for tiny amounts of blood invisible to the naked eye.

Blood can be an early warning sign and the earlier the cancer is discovered, the better the success rate.

Mr Cosentino said information and pamphlets on bowel cancer and the screening test were available at the pharmacy.

"The Rotary initiative promotes screening throughout the whole of May and people become more aware of the symptoms and the test available," he said.

"We have received 80 screening tests and usually sell all of them by the end of May."

Completed tests must be returned to the pharmacy before June 14.