Galway Fianna Fáil Councillor Alan Cheevers is calling for the screening age for bowel cancer to be reduced from 60 to 69, down to 50 to 69. Currently, only those between the ages of 60 and 69 are invited to take a bowel screening test every two years. Cllr Cheevers was diagnosed with bowel cancer in September of this year, aged 52.
Cllr Cheevers commented, “Today I met with An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, to raise awareness of my campaign to lower the screening age for Bowel Cancer. In the middle of September this year, I was diagnosed with bowel cancer and as part of my diagnosis, I felt that I wanted to do something positive and that was to raise awareness and to make a representation to the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, to reduce bowel screening from 60 to 69, down to 50 to 69.
“I think lowering the screening age is really important. I think that there's a stigma with many men, especially in getting checked. If we can reduce the age profile, so that more people will get checked, we can work towards early detection and saving lives.”
Cllr Cheevers added, “I want to thank the Taoiseach and my party colleagues at Leinster House for their support and for giving me the time to raise my campaign with them.”
