WATCH: CANSA shines spotlight on colons

CANSA is urging South Africans to undergo regular screening to ensure that their colon is in good condition.

Lorraine Govender, CANSA’s national manager for Health Promotion, discusses the Colorectal Awareness Campaign, which is currently in its second year: “We want to use facts to teach people in a fun, engaging way.” CANSA developed a colorectal awareness video in collaboration with Medtronic, starring ‘Sizwe and Crystal’, who learn how their lifestyle choices have affected their colon health and what symptoms they should not ignore.”

“Sizwe, Crystal, and Colin help raise awareness of colorectal cancer risk factors and symptoms, perhaps saving many lives through early discovery when the cancer is still treatable. Regular cancer screening, understanding of your body and family history, and adopting an active, balanced lifestyle are all recommended by CANSA,” Govender concludes.

The Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) advocates for a healthy, active lifestyle and believes that certain lifestyle changes can reduce cancer risk. It also encourages people to eliminate lifestyle factors that increase their risk of cancer, particularly colon cancer, which is one of the top three cancers among men and women in South Africa. Poor lifestyle choices can significantly increase the risk of developing this type of cancer.

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According to the WHO, In 2018, cancer was the second biggest cause of mortality worldwide, accounting for 9.6 million fatalities, or one in every six deaths.

According to the National Cancer Register, colorectal or colon cancer is one of the top three cancers for both men and women in South Africa, with 1 in 77 males and 1 in 132 females diagnosed. Many more young people are being diagnosed with colorectal cancer, according to evidence. It is the second most prevalent cancer in males (after prostate cancer) and the third most frequent cancer in women (following breast and cervical cancer). Unfortunately, symptoms do not always appear in the early stages of this malignancy, and when they do, they are frequently rejected as irrelevant or misdiagnosed. Many people do not receive a diagnosis until the disease has progressed to an advanced stage.

Lack of regular exercise, a low fruit and vegetable intake, a low fibre and high-fat diet, obesity, alcohol abuse, tobacco use and poor dental hygiene are all factors that increase the risk of colorectal cancer. Other risk factors include hereditary syndromes, a personal or family history of polyps or colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel illness, type 2 diabetes and ageing.

CANSA has an online Lifestyle Risk Assessment Tool that will help people uncover lifestyle factors that may increase their cancer risk and then make recommendations on how to adjust behaviour to reduce risk. For more information, visit their homepage: https://cansa.org.za/

Click here to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zq8xHbvFR4E

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