Bowel Care Nurses | Bowel Care Nutritionists | Oncology Social Worker | The Movement | Peer-to-Peer Support Network | Podcast | Resources | Bowel Cancer Stories | Recipes
| We're here for you
If you’ve been diagnosed with bowel cancer. We’re here for you.
Bowel Cancer Australia provides essential support services uniquely designed for bowel cancer patients and their families via our confidential Helpline with telephone and email support, as well as a national Peer-to-Peer Support Network and Buddy Program.
Our services are underpinned by an unrivalled range of information booklets and factsheets for patients and healthcare professionals.
| Bowel Care Nurses - providing telenursing support nationwide
Bowel Cancer Australia's friendly team of Bowel Care Nurses are at hand to answer bowel cancer questions large and small.
Whether you have symptoms and you don't know what to do; or if you have been diagnosed or have questions about treatment options. Whatever the reason, please don't hesitate to contact one of our friendly, trained Bowel Care Nurses.
Our Bowel Care Nurses understand the needs of bowel cancer patients can be different, adding an extra layer of support to the trusted relationship patients have with their treating medical team at a very difficult time.
Registered nurses provide information and support to anyone with a question or experience related to bowel cancer.
You can email a Bowel Care Nurse any time for advice.
Alternatively, please call Bowel Cancer Australia's helpline on 1800 727 336 during business hours, Monday to Friday.
| Bowel Care Nutritionists - providing telenutrition support nationwide
A diagnosis of bowel cancer involves some major changes to diet and lifestyle.
Our Bowel Care Nutritionists help with practical advice on food choices during treatment and in recovery.
Offering specific nutritional advice, recipes, menu planning and cooking tips are provided to patients, carers, families and friends.
New high and low fibre recipes are also released online every month.
You can email a Bowel Care Nutritionist any time for advice.
Alternatively, please call Bowel Cancer Australia's helpline on 1800 727 336 during business hours, Monday to Friday.
| Bowel Care Oncology Social Worker - providing telehealth support nationwide
Receiving a bowel cancer diagnosis can be a life altering event causing significant stress and anxiety for yourself and loved ones.
In addition to the implications this can have on your physical health and wellbeing, it can also be distressing and complex to cope with day-to-day, as it affects you (and your family’s) life practically, financially, socially, emotionally and psychologically.
Research shows that interventions focussing on holistic wellbeing have positive short and long-term effects by reducing anxiety and depression and improving quality of life.
Bowel Cancer Australia’s Bowel Care Oncology Social Worker supports patients and their families who have been affected by bowel cancer, by providing holistic specialist psychosocial care at all stages throughout the care continuum - from diagnosis, treatment, recovery and living beyond bowel cancer, to palliative care and bereavement, depending on your circumstances.
With specialist knowledge in cancer oncology, palliative care and therapeutic counselling, our social worker, alongside your treating medical team, can offer telehealth support that addresses your psychosocial needs and those of your loved ones.
You can email our Bowel Care Oncology Social Worker any time for advice.
Alternatively, please call Bowel Cancer Australia's helpline on 1800 727 336 during business hours, Monday to Friday.
| The Movement - Wellness Beyond Diagnosis
The Movement - Wellness Beyond Diagnosis is Bowel Cancer Australia's closed Facebook Group.
The Movement aims to assist you and your loved ones access quality information and support to help improve health and wellbeing throughout the care continuum.
The Movement is built through online connections with others and is facilitated by Bowel Care Nurses Australia and importantly people with lived experience.
Whether you are newly diagnosed, in active treatment, undergoing surveillance following treatment or for genetic syndrome prevention, or in remission, we hope you will find helpful resources and a very supportive community.
If this sounds of interest to you, click here to join The Movement.
| Peer-to-Peer Support Network
Bowel Cancer Australia’s Peer-to-Peer Support Network is a voluntary community of people affected by bowel cancer, whether personally or via a family member.
It is Australia’s only national support group for bowel cancer patients, newly diagnosed, living with or beyond bowel cancer, and their loved ones. Including young families and partners, women diagnosed during pregnancy, siblings and parents with children that have been diagnosed with young-onset bowel cancer.
Through the support network, we aim to put people in touch with each other - matching them by age, gender, region and their stage of bowel cancer and treatment pathway.
Partners, relatives and friends of patients also benefit from this service as we are able to put them in touch with other people who have a loved one with bowel cancer.
| The Bottom Line Podcast
Bowel Cancer Australia’s award winning podcast hosted by bowel cancer survivor, Stephanie Bansemer-Brown, is a monthly chat sharing stories and lived-experiences. Hearing from those living with or beyond bowel cancer, as well as health professionals involved in bowel cancer treatment and care, can be a valuable resource that can encourage and inspire others.
Please note, podcasts may occasionally contain content that some listeners may find distressing.
| Awareness & patient resources
There is no shortage of information on bowel cancer but when it comes to credible information, that’s a different case.
Bowel Cancer Australia has developed a suite of publications covering all aspects of bowel cancer: prevention, early detection, diagnosis, surgery, treatment and care. Including resources uniquely designed for younger people.
Our resources are designed to increase understanding of bowel cancer, treatment (including managing side effects), and how to adjust to the 'new' normal for people living with and beyond bowel cancer.
Please check out our online shop to explore the range of free downloable awareness and patient resources.
| Bowel cancer stories
Many young patients and loved ones choose to share their stories to help raise awareness that you’re never too young to have bowel cancer and to provide support to others.
Often people can find it helpful to read about the experiences of others who have been affected by bowel cancer.
Stories highlight personal bowel cancer experiences, raise awareness of the signs and symptoms and can encourage and inspire others.
Stories are also a valuable resource for other patients and loved ones, who often find it helpful to read about personal experiences of others who are living with or have been affected by bowel cancer.
| Never2Young
Bowel Cancer Australia’s ‘Bowel Cancer... You're Never Too Young’ initiative was created to provide bowel cancer resources uniquely designed for younger people.
Offering practical and emotional support for the growing number of young people affected by bowel cancer (and their loved ones), championing what matters most to people living with or beyond young-onset bowel cancer, while challenging perceptions through dynamic campaigning that raises awareness and motivates action in all young Australians.
A highlight of the initiative is a dedicated Never Too Young Awareness Week that highlights the unique challenges faced by people who are living with or beyond young-onset bowel cancer.
For further details and to get involved head to nevertooyoung.org.au.
| Recipes
There are very strong links between diet and bowel cancer, and one of the most important changes following treatment for bowel cancer will be to establish good eating and drinking habits that are both healthy and interesting to help you (and your family) stick to the new routine – as well as minimising problems associated with foods that can be difficult to digest with a surgically shortened bowel.
Check out our range of high and low fibre recipes - prepared by our very own Bowel Care Nutritionist.
