Killeen speaks of bowel cancer fight to raise awareness
The minister of state at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food experienced none of the classic symptoms of the disease.
But his wife, Lily, kept at him to get himself checked out because of his family history of bowel cancer.
At the launch of the Irish Cancer Society’s first Bowel Cancer Awareness Month in Dublin yesterday, Mr Killeen spoke openly of his bowel cancer diagnosis last October and his ongoing treatment. “I made the decision to speak out about my personal cancer experience, because I know what a difference it makes to catch it early. If I had been more aware, I might have got it even earlier.
“Awareness saves lives and I am proof of that,” said the Clare TD and father of five boys, who now realises that his family history should have been a warning sign.
While he had noticed that he had lost weight, he had been trying to slim down and did not recognise it was a symptom of the disease.
A bowel cancer awareness survey conducted last summer when Mr Killeen’s wife was urging him to see his GP found one in three people cannot name a warning sign of the disease.
Bowel cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in Ireland. Every year, about 2,000 cases are diagnosed and 900 people die from the disease.
More than 50% of patients in Ireland are diagnosed with an advanced stage that has a very poor survival rate. The most common symptoms of the disease are change in bowel habits lasting more than a month, rectal bleeding, constipation, lower abdominal pain and weight loss.
*People with cancer concerns can call The Irish Cancer Society’s freefone number on 1800 200 700.
