“We are a stone cast upon the water to try to create many ripples.”

Bowel cancer may not be the first thing that springs to mind for your typical teenager but for a group of students from the St Leonard’s College, it was a desire to bring the school community together to champion a significant cause affecting thousands of Australians which saw them plan a week of activities culminating in a head shave.

Fundraising close to $1,700 during Meat Free Week, sisters Sarah and Winnie decided to take up the meat-free challenge together after their father was diagnosed in December 2017.

Awareness is key to people understanding the urgency and critical need to develop more advanced treatments for bowel cancer.

As a scientist exploring the molecular basis of bowel cancer to develop more efficient treatment options, Dr Madara Ratnadiwakara is acutely aware of the importance of raising community awareness of bowel cancer. She explains, “Awareness is key to people understanding the urgency and critical need to develop more advanced treatments for bowel cancer.”