TEBEDU: Early detection of colon cancer is vital to saving lives and reducing complications, says Tebedu assemblyman Dr Simon Sinang Bada.
He stressed the importance of early screening for both men and women, noting that the disease is treatable if identified at an early stage. In contrast, late-stage diagnoses—typically at stage three or four—pose far greater health risks.
“According to statistics from the Malaysian Ministry of Health (MOH), colon cancer ranks among the top five most common cancers in the country, along with breast, cervical, and lung cancers, which predominantly affect women.
“However, all of these conditions can be treated if detected early through regular screening programs, such as the one being held as part of this awareness initiative,” he said during the Colorectal Cancer Awareness Day event held in Kampung Pichin recently.
He explained that early screening allows individuals to understand their health status before symptoms appear, which typically only emerge once the disease has reached an advanced and more dangerous stage.
He also stressed the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet and regular physical activity, as additional preventive measures against life-threatening illnesses like cancer.
Aside from raising awareness, the event featured various activities, including an educational exhibition on colorectal cancer by the Colorectal and Stoma Surgery Team, colon cancer screenings, games, coloring contests, bowel health education, explanations on surgical equipment, stoma education, and the Blue Ribbon Campaign.
He expressed hope that awareness programmes like this could be expanded in the future to a larger scale, involving more villagers to ensure widespread and ongoing education on cancer prevention and early detection.
