Ryman resident Brian Cumming’s brush with bowel cancer took place nearly 30 years ago when he was in his 50s, the typical age of diagnosis for many New Zealanders.

With Bowel Cancer Awareness Month coming up in June, and Bowel Cancer New Zealand being Ryman’s charity partner for 2026, Brian says he’s keen to encourage others to act quickly if they have symptoms.

READ MORE:

• Top tips for winter wellness
• Residents 'move their butts' for bowel cancer

Now 87, the resident from Ryman’s Possum Bourne Village in Pukekohe feels incredibly lucky to be here, and grateful to the medics who helped him.

He is also glad he took the warning signs seriously and took action, given that bowel cancer is the second-deadliest cancer in New Zealand.

“I had blood in my stool, there was no pain, but the routine for my bowel movements had changed. I used to be very regular,” says Brian.

“When I noticed blood, I hightailed it to the GP and then the specialists, and I was sent for a colonoscopy.”

Outdoors man Brian around the time of his bowel cancer diagnosis

Brian's quick action to what are considered to be key warning signs of bowel cancer undoubtedly saved his life, with experts saying it's important to get checked by a GP if any of these symptoms last more than two or three weeks.

However, it wasn't just his bowel that was causing him problems, but his skin too.

Brian has also had around ‘eight or nine’ melanomas removed as a result of sun damage while working for decades as an agricultural contractor wearing just shorts, boots and a beret.

“When I went in for my bowel cancer operation, I still had the dressings on my shoulder from where my doctor had removed what looked like a pimple.

“It was then that I got the call that it was melanoma.”

The doctors at first thought one cancer was related to the other, but unusually they were two separate cancers that had just appeared at the same time coincidentally.

Brian says that at the time, he was more concerned about what the surgeon was about to do to him.

“The last thing I said to him before I went under was, ‘No bag mate!’

“And he said, ‘Settle down, son. You will have a bag but don’t worry about it!’”

Brian had 35cm (14 inches) of his bowel removed and a colostomy bag fitted.

“The lower it is in the bowel, the worse it is, and mine was lower so I had to wear it for three months before I had the reversal procedure.

“Afterwards, the surgeon told me, ‘You can relax. I can absolutely guarantee that I’ve removed every centimetre of cancer.

“I had a very good surgeon, I was very grateful.”

Now 87 and a great grandfather of 13, Brian says that, like many Kiwis, he liked to party a lot in his younger days, and his diet could have been better.

“I was so fit and strong, you think you’re bulletproof!” he says.

Brian makes sure to keep up with his regular checks and follows up any unusual symptoms immediately

These days, however, he’s the model patient. With his melanoma issue to deal with as well, it’s now become part of his routine to visit his GP every three months, and he’s made changes to his diet and lifestyle too.

“Although I love steak, I only have it twice a year now. I just don’t have the ability to digest it properly now.

“I eat chicken, fish, pork, lamb and then beef – in that order. Which is the order the specialist gave me. Beef is the worst meat.”

It’s frustrating when friends don’t take steps to help themselves, he says.

“I’ve got mates where I’ve thought, ‘You’re a prime candidate for bowel cancer’.

“They’re a similar age to me, they liked the party lifestyle as young guys, both of them butchers who’d have a big night on the booze followed by a big steak, several times a week.

“You do that for a few years….,” he shakes his head.

While Brian supports free bowel screening, he says that people still need to take responsibility for their own health.

“I think to a great degree, it comes down to yourself, to heed the warning signs.”

Brian’s message?

“Get off your arse, get down to the doctor, and get checked!”

Facts and figures:

• Every year, around 3,000 New Zealanders are diagnosed with bowel cancer and more than 1,200 Kiwis die from it
• Bowel cancer can affect people of all ages – over 350 people aged under 50 are diagnosed each year
• One in every 18 Kiwis is estimated to develop bowel cancer in their lifetime
• 22% of Māori are diagnosed with bowel cancer in their 50s, compared to 12% for New Zealanders overall
• New Zealand has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world, and men are at increased risk of bowel cancer compared to women
• The National Bowel Screening Programme is available for eligible men and women aged 58 to 74
• Make an appointment to see your GP
• You can test yourself using a BowelScreen Aotearoa Kit, available to purchase from www.bowelcancernz.org.nz

Common symptoms to look out for:

• Bleeding from the bottom
• Change of bowel motions or habits that come and go over several weeks
• Anaemia (iron deficiency)
• Severe, persistent or occasional abdominal pain
• A lump or mass in the abdomen
• Tiredness and loss of weight for no obvious reason

Three ways to get checked for bowel cancer:

• The National Bowel Screening Programme is available for eligible men and women aged 58 to 74. Screening helps find bowel cancer early - before symptoms appear
• Make an appointment to see your GP
• You can also choose to use a private, at-home bowel screening test. Learn more about options available in New Zealand on our website here. Talk to your GP or pharmacist about what's right for you.
• You can learn more about the symptoms of bowel cancer and check your risk using Bowel Cancer New Zealand's symptom checker here.