Gut Cancer Foundation

Great post by our friends at Bowel Cancer New Zealand this awareness month. When bowel cancer is found early, around 90% of cases are curable 💚

Take their online symptom checker here 👇
www.bowelcancernz.org.nz/awareness-month

GCF's Kristin and Candice are attending Rotorua GP CME 2026 this week!

We’re pleased to be here connecting with GPs and primary care professionals, learning from the practical clinical updates, and sharing the importance of early detection, timely referral and ongoing support for people affected by gut cancers.

GPCME’s focused and clinically relevant programme aligns closely with our work to ensure primary care teams have clear, useful information they can apply in everyday practice, while supporting patients and whānau to access the care and support they need.

If you’re attending, we’d love to connect and talk about GCF’s support service, gut cancer awareness, and how we can work together to improve outcomes for people across Aotearoa.

If you're a GP looking to refer a gut cancer patient for support, please use this form: https://www.gutcancer.org.nz/health-care-professional-referral/ or check out our website: www.gutcancer.org.nz.

A few weeks ago, we officially launched our upper GI support service. The evening brought together powerful voices from across the cancer community and a shared kaupapa: ensuring people affected by upper GI cancers have access to practical guidance, trusted information and compassionate support.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us, supported us, and helped make this milestone possible. We are so grateful to our speakers: Liam Willis (GCF Executive Officer), Andrew Edgar (oesophageal cancer survivor), Doug Rowe (Pancare board member and financial supporter) and Candice Gemmell (GCF Support Nurse) for sharing their insights and expertise to illustrate the need for this service.

We would also like to thank our partners at Pancare Foundation, our incredible donors, corporate partners, patient advocates and wider GCF community. Because of you, we can now provide practical guidance, trusted information and compassionate support to those who need it most.

Watch the highlights from the launch event here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jC96hdJcrug

Access support: https://www.gutcancer.org.nz/support-service/

Gut Cancer Foundation's Upper GI Support Service Launch Event Highlight reel from Gut Cancer Foundation's support service launch ...

Health care professionals: Do you have a patient who could use support after an upper GI cancer diagnosis?

Our free, nurse-led telehealth support service is here for people affected by oesophageal, pancreatic, liver, biliary or stomach cancer.

Our referral process is quick and easy. Refer here: https://www.gutcancer.org.nz/health-care-professional-referral/

For more information please email us at [email protected], or give us a call on 0800 112 775.

🏃‍♀️ Walk it. Run it. Get GUTSY for gut cancers and join GCF at the Auckland Marathon on 1 November 2026!

Every year, more than 6,100 New Zealanders are diagnosed with oesophageal, stomach, liver, pancreatic, biliary or bowel cancer. Collectively, gut cancers are the most common cancers in Aotearoa and have some of the worst survival rates - with only 12% of pancreatic cancer patients surviving beyond five years.

By signing up to run or walk for GCF, you’ll help fund:
✅ nurse-led support and expert resources
✅ access to international clinical trials here in NZ
✅ local research into better detection, diagnosis and treatment
✅ advocacy for better access to care
✅ national awareness campaigns to help Kiwis spot symptoms sooner

We're here to support you every step of the way! When you join the GCF team you will:

• Receive training guides, tailored to all distances
• Free webinar with a marathon expert
• Join us to celebrate your achievement in our post-race marquee, and receive a free massage

As an extra bonus:

• Raise $200 and receive a Gut Cancer Foundation, dri-fit running t-shirt
• Become a Charity Superstar: be one of the first to raise $1500 to receive a free entry as a Charity Superstar. This includes free on the day travel, and a Charity Superstar Medal at the finish line.

Ready to lace up and kick cancer in the guts?

Sign up today: https://aucklandmarathon26.grassrootz.com/gut-cancer-foundation