Speaking of wasting Government money

[*crikey*mate*]

I just collected a package from the post office from the Australian Government (that's what it said on the envelope) It was addressed to my OH - it had all this informational stuff in it about bowel cancer.

Yeah, yeah, keeping people informed etc - but the postage alone must have been $3 plus the cost of whatever was in the package (it was A4 and chockers and I reckon must have only made the 20mm thick rule by a cat's whisker) and the wage of the person who had to correlate it all and pack it.

But it was specifically addressed to him, so there is a system somewhere deciding who gets these packages.

My OH has no history of cancer, so why they picked him out I have no idea.

Wonder how many other people got these and how much this drained the coffers.

Sure, keep people informed etc, but I reckon I could think of a few less expensive ways to do it.

[cherry*135]

I still can't get my head around the government having to babysit people to such an extent that they have to mail out the tests to get people to look after their own health!

You might be in the minority that thinks like that Crikey?

Screening is important because bowel cancer can develop without any early warning symptoms. Bowel cancer can be treated successfully if detected in its early stages.

Doing an FOBT every two years, can reduce your risk of dying from bowel cancer by up to one third.

[freddie*rooster]

crikey, we all know how slack men are with taking care of their health, even if this testing saves 1 in 19  people it's worth it. How many women on CS bother to have regular pap smears and mammograms I wonder?

Australia has the world’s highest incidence of bowel cancer - On average one in 19 Australian men and one in 27 Australian women will develop colorectal cancer by the age of 75 years.  Age is an important factor.  The risk begins at age 40, doubling every 5 years until age 60 and even more rapidly as the person gets older

.
Statistics show 90% of bowel cancers can be successfully cured if detected at an early stage.  Early detection leads to an improved prognosis and less severe treatment.

[cherry*135]

OMG - I just gotta know how a person is supposed to do THAT..

You have all the info and test equipment right there in your house to examine.

[newstart2380]

Now here's a thought - there will be months and months of electioneering over the next 120 odd days so at the end of every long and drawn out boring add by any politician there could be an "add on" ie have you checked your bowels lately for signs of blood, if over 65 have you had your mammogram or pap smear or prostate checked,  etc etc.

At least there would be some useful information attached to the political BS that we can expect over the next months and also informative saving paper, envelopes and stamps.

I guess the downside would be the jobs created in the infamous "job creation scheme" like licking stamps would not be debunked same as the ladies who welcome you at Centrelink with clip board or ipad in hand and ask " how can I help you today" 😛

[newstart2380]

ooooops I meant to say would be debunked.

[freddie*rooster]

That's the rotary bowel screening I speak of crikey, red meat free for 3 days prior to testing and for the 3 day's of testing in which a paddlepop stick is used to complete the test. 😮

[cherry*135]

...same as the ladies who welcome you at Centrelink with clip board or ipad in hand and ask " how can I help you today"..

Have you been to Centrelink lately?  Is that what they do?

[newstart2380]

...same as the ladies who welcome you at Centrelink with clip board or ipad in hand and ask " how can I help you today"..

Have you been to Centrelink lately?  Is that what they do?

Yes I had to deliver some paperwork to a gentleman and when I was approached on 2 separate occasions by 2 separate ladies with clipboards (who were very courteous ) I was staggered at the amount of people there, I could not even find a seat.

I told a friend about this and she said they use ipads where she works at the centrelink office.

[*crikey*mate*]

I still can't get my head around the government having to babysit people to such an extent that they have to mail out the tests to get people to look after their own health!

You might be in the minority that thinks like that Crikey?

Screening is important because bowel cancer can develop without any early warning symptoms. Bowel cancer can be treated successfully if detected in its early stages.

Doing an FOBT every two years, can reduce your risk of dying from bowel cancer by up to one third.

well I know that once I reach 50 I'm supposed to get breast screening done every two years and once you become "active" you're supposed to get a pap smear every two years - Do we get kits in the mail for those too?

same for most health risks, isn't it?

Dunno how, but I know about it - and I still think people need to be responsible for their own health!

[*crikey*mate*]

That's the rotary bowel screening I speak of crikey, red meat free for 3 days prior to testing and for the 3 day's of testing in which a paddlepop stick is used to complete the test. 😮

what's wrong with the red meat? is it the iron content or something?