Rotary dedicates the month of March to encouraging local people to have a bowel scan.

In Northam and York in 2008, 102 kits were taken and last year those numbers increased to 191. Rotary hopes these numbers will increase this year.

Across Australia a road death occurs about every five hours, a breast cancer death occurs every four hours and every two hours someone dies of bowel cancer.

Risk increases significantly over the age of 40 and doubles every five years.

Rotary reduces this big death toll by making test kits available at local pharmacies for people over 40.

Pharmacists’ cooperation and free testing advice of results by Western Diagnostic mean that for $8, someone may save their life by catching symptoms early.

Watching for obvious symptoms is waiting too long.

In March, take a kit from the Northam or York Pharmacy along with an instruction pamphlet, use it and then return it promptly in the envelope provided.

The first week in April is the deadline for returns.