Detecting bowel cancer early is vital for survival. Whilst 5,500 Australians die from bowel cancer each year in Australia, testing through Rotary Bowelscan has seen many people survive.

The following three people have battled bowel cancer and survived. They explain how a Bowelscan test really did save their lives.

Max Bissett, Redland Bay

"I took my first Bowelscan test when the programme first began back in 1982 and tested myself every single year after. I have always been a healthy, active person and never dreamed I had any health problems. I only missed two years and that's all it took for me to be in serious trouble. It was such a shock to hear that the test came back with three positives and that I would need to live with a colostomy bag for the rest of my years. I learnt the lesson the hard way - you just can't afford to skip a year. "

Roy McQueen, Victoria Point

"I would certainly endorse Bowelscan and would urge everyone to take the test each year in the hope of detecting bowel cancer at the earliest possible stage, where treatment is much more effective. Though lucky to survive at all, had I been aware of the risks and tested myself earlier, I may not have ended up living with a permanent colostomy bag."

Robert Muller, Capalaba

"It was a real shock to hear the doctor tell me that the polyp detected would have taken only three to six months to go through the bowel wall and spread through the rest of my body. They took out my large bowel but luckily I still had enough left to not have to wear a bag. I can do anything now, and life's back to normal. I was so lucky that the test caught the cancer when it did. It scares me to think had I left it any longer I might not be here to watch my grandchildren grow up. People should not mess about and take the test straight away so they too can be there for life with their loved ones."