I never met Jodi Lee.  But having read about her, and spoken to some of those that did know her, she is familiar.  So much of her story is me.  She is my friends.  She is many of the women I treat each day in my clinic.  That is why we must spread the word, make everyone aware of what we can each do both to reduce our risk of developing bowel cancer, and to ensure we and those we love get tested.

There is some screening generally available to older Australians, but Jodi's risk factors were not high.  She was young, fit, ate well.  We all need to be aware.

Visit the Jodi Lee Foundation website

The Jodi Lee Foundation exists to educate people about the importance of bowel cancer screening and early detection saves lives.

We encourage people to take a bowel cancer test every two years from the age of 40.

The Foundation was established last year by Nick Lee in memory of his wife Jodi who lost her battle with bowel cancer at age 41 - a battle she fought for two years with incredible bravery and dignity.


About Bowel Cancer

·       Australia has the highest incidence of bowel cancer in the world.

·       1 person dies from bowel cancer every 2 hours, that’s about 5,000 every year.

·       It is the second most common cause of cancer-related death in Australia after lung cancer.

·       Bowel cancer affects more people than breast cancer and cervical cancer combined.

·       Bowel cancer affects both men and women, young and old.

·       Many people do not experience any symptoms until the cancer becomes more advanced.

·       Early detection saves lives – if diagnosed early, 90% of cases can be cured.


Bowel Cancer Screening

You can buy a simple and inexpensive home test, known as a FOB test, from your pharmacist. If you think you have symptoms, or you have a family history of bowel cancer, ask your doctor to arrange a colonoscopy.

The Jodi Lee Foundation recommends the Insure FOB test (also known as BowelScreen Australia). It is a simple and non-invasive test and the most accurate available.

A paint brush is used to collect a sample of toilet water that is painted on a sample card. The card is posted directly to the manufacturer for testing and results are returned to the individual and their doctor by post within 14 days. There are no dietary or other restrictions.

Test kits cost less than $40, including a pathology fee, and are available at local pharmacies, or online at www.bowelcanceraustralia.org.


About Jodi Lee

Jodi Lee was Nick’s wife and mother to Jack and Arabella. She tragically lost her two year battle with bowel cancer at age 41 in January 2010.

Jodi’s symptoms were vague, yet when diagnosed, the cancer was already at stage IV and had spread to her lymph nodes and liver.


The Objectives Of The Jodi Lee Foundation

We want people to talk about and understand bowel cancer and to have themselves regularly screened. It is only through early detection that more people will survive the disease. Our primary objectives are to:-

·       Promote awareness about the high incidence of bowel cancer and encourage early detection through regular screening from age 40;
·       Establish and promote a bowel cancer screening program that enables businesses to offer test kits to their employees; and
·       Build an online questionnaire, in conjunction with the Cancer Council SA and CSIRO, to help people self-assess their risk of developing bowel cancer based on their family history.