PREVENTING BOWEL CANCER ANNUAL REVIEW 2016 “SCREENING SAVED MY LIFE” PREVENTING BOWEL CANCER ANNUAL REVIEW 2016 CONTENTS Jodi’s story 2 Reflections 3 Messages from our Chair and CEO 4 Our achievements 6 Our initiatives 8 Our events 14 Community support 18 Governance 22 Financials 24 Acknowledgements 28 1 THE JODI LEE FOUNDATION JODI’S STORY Sitting your children down to tell them Just before midnight she was airlifted from Before Jodi’s diagnosis she was fit and you’re going to die is something no parent Ho Chi Minh City to Bangkok for emergency healthy. She had no family history and no should have to face – but it was the surgery. The operation was very successful symptoms whatsoever, which is typical of devastating truth for Jodi Lee. but three days later Nick and Jodi received bowel cancer. The saddest part of all the worst possible news – Jodi was is that Jodi’s story could have had a Jodi and Nick had been happily together for diagnosed with Stage IV bowel cancer and different outcome if her cancer had 12 years in 2009 and were living in Vietnam it had spread to her lymph and liver. At best, been detected early. with their two young children. They were she only had two years to live. having the time of their lives. With that simple fact as the driving force One of the hardest things was telling their The Jodi Lee Foundation was established Nick was away working when Jodi rang children Jack, 6, and Arabella, 4, that their in 2010. complaining of constipation, abdominal pain mum was going to die. Jodi passed away on and some bloating. The next morning, Jodi’s 16 January 2010. doctor recognised an obstruction in her bowel and ordered scans. Jodi had bowel cancer and the tumour had all but blocked her bowel. She was only 39 years old. 2 PREVENTING BOWEL CANCER ANNUAL REVIEW 2016 REFLECTIONS Prevention is defined as the action of Education about prevention and early stopping something from happening or detection plays a vital role in keeping arising. It is with a great sense of purpose Australians healthy. With more than 15,000 we commit ourselves to this action. people diagnosed with bowel cancer each year, the need for awareness and action is Working in the bowel cancer space, we stronger than ever. Our challenge always is know of many people and hear many more to find relevant ways to talk to people about stories about people who aren’t fortunate the facts and risks. enough to experience the prevention of this silent killer, and our heart breaks for These critical conversations convey our life- them. Unless caught early, bowel cancer saving messages about screening regularly, treatment is brutal. Anyone who has been knowing your family history, acting quickly through this experience will testify to the on symptoms and maintaining a healthy harrowing journey. lifestyle. In many ways we are storytellers, fortunate to have the support and trust of individuals impacted by bowel cancer. Sharing their stories ignites a mental shift, which in turn influences behaviour. These stories are powerful tools. Jodi’s story continues to resonate with people nation-wide. She is the human face of the tragedy that bowel cancer can bestow, of what can happen when the disease isn’t prevented. PREVENTING BOWEL CANCER 3 THE JODI LEE FOUNDATION It is an honour and a privilege to serve I would like to acknowledge the unwavering A MESSAGE as Chair of the Board of The Jodi Lee commitment and leadership of our Founder Foundation and I am tremendously and CEO, Nick Lee. He has played a key role FROM OUR proud of the work we do to save lives by in the significant growth and development raising awareness of bowel cancer. Since of the Foundation and continues to inspire CHAIR commencing in 2010 I have observed the people with his passion and dedication. Foundation as it has grown from a fledgling Our Medical Advisory Committee continues South Australian based organisation to to provide expert advice and we are what we have today, a Foundation of grateful for the contribution and support broad reach which delivers programs and of this experienced and well regarded campaigns nationally – and which has even team. Congratulations also to the ‘JLF’ greater ambitions to minimise the needless team on their hard work throughout the devastation caused by bowel cancer. year. Without their efforts our strategic With our success comes success to the objectives simply could not be met. community. Empowering people with Thank you also to my fellow Board knowledge is at the core of our mission, members, our committed corporate and as demonstrated by the testimonials partners, donors, ambassadors, volunteers which we receive, the valuable information and event participants. Your ongoing provided in our communications are starting support enables us to make a difference to important conversations about bowel cancer, the lives of so many Australians. We look our screening programs are helping people forward to continuing to deliver on our with earlier detection, both are consequently mission to prevent bowel cancer and to making a vital contribution to the health and facing the challenges that lie ahead in 2017. wellbeing of many Australians. During 2016, we expanded almost every aspect of our operations, from the number of people who screened through our Workplace Prevention Program, to the number of people reached through our public awareness campaigns and our Mark Butcher event participants. This has allowed us to Chair increase our impact, educating more people about bowel cancer, prevention and the importance of early detection. 4 PREVENTING BOWEL CANCER ANNUAL REVIEW 2016 This year has brought new and exciting Participation in our events reached an all- A MESSAGE opportunities for The Jodi Lee Foundation, time high, and we are delighted to see the with many lives saved and expansion into impact they continue to have on those taking FROM OUR areas where there is an obvious need for part and their communities. greater bowel cancer awareness. CEO Our Workplace Prevention Program has Still, it is the stories we hear regularly that experienced enormous growth in just a few inspire us every day to continue the work short years, and is now in demand across we do. During one week, three people Australia. Screening participation through contacted us to share how their lives had the program has also increased and this is an been saved as a result of our prevention area where we have the most direct impact. messages. Words cannot express how much Thank you to our incredible supporters. that means to me and everyone involved The corporates and our growing network of with the Foundation. community ambassadors play a crucial part We know the early detection of bowel in bowel cancer prevention. Thanks also to cancer is essential to survive this silent killer our small team, which manages to achieve and for this reason all of our initiatives are so much in the course of a year. designed to raise awareness and educate I am looking forward to sharing the new people about the importance of screening projects we are embarking on in the coming for early detection. year as we continue our fight to eradicate This year we built on our existing initiatives this preventable disease. to include prevention education, based on the importance of a healthy diet and lifestyle to prevent bowel cancer. This prompted the development and launch of Kay-A-Day to encourage school-aged children to be more Nick Lee active every day. The initiative has been a Founder & CEO resounding success with positive feedback from schools and parents. 5 THE JODI LEE FOUNDATION OUR ACHIEVEMENTS RAISING WORKPLACE EARLY DETECTION AWARENESS PREVENTION TOOLS 107 62 4,308 MEDIA STORIES ACROSS BUSINESSES NATIONALLY PEOPLE VISITED AUSTRALIA KNOW YOUR RISK 6,251 33,365 UP 296 UP SCREENING TESTS SOCIAL MEDIA DISTRIBUTED 67% FAMILY HISTORY RISK FOLLOWERS 28% ASSESSMENTS PRESENTED TO OVER 220,177 PhD CLICKS ON OUR SOCIAL 6,500 RESEARCH PAPER PUBLISHED & MEDIA POSTS EMPLOYEES SYMPTOMS SCREENING TOOL DEVELOPED 164,151 VISITS TO OUR WEBSITE, 71% BY NEW USERS 6 PREVENTING BOWEL CANCER ANNUAL REVIEW 2016 FUNDRAISING MAKING EVERY PARTNERSHIPS EVENTS DOLLAR COUNT 4 $95,000 29 MAJOR EVENTS IN GRANTS BUSINESSES SUPPORTING OUR CAUSE 2,726 $364,935 PARTICIPANTS IN PRO BONO SUPPORT 4 MAJOR CORPORATE PARTNERS EACH COMMITTING OVER $50,000 PA $380,355 62 RAISED VOLUNTEERS 11 AMBASSADORS 18c OF EACH DOLLAR INVESTED IN OPERATING COSTS $460,065 SPENT ON NATIONAL PREVENTION INITIATIVES THIS YEAR 7 THE JODI LEE FOUNDATION OUR INITIATIVES WORKPLACE PREVENTION PROGRAM Our Workplace Prevention Program is attracting support from businesses all For Kieran, taking part in our Workplace over Australia. The program educates Prevention Program changed his life. He was employees about bowel cancer and 34 years old when he attended our provides them with the opportunity to presentation. That proved to be a life-saving complete a screening test in the privacy decision. He took the screening test offered of their home. through the program, and it came back positive. The continued growth of the health and A follow up colonoscopy uncovered multiple wellbeing sector has been reflected in the growths in Kieran’s bowel, which he had growth of this program. Organisations removed during several procedures. His big and small are recognising the value of surgeon said in no uncertain terms the test protecting their workforce from this silent saved his life. killer through this simple program. Kieran was told his immediate family should This year 62 businesses and more than also be checked out – a piece of advice that saw 6,500 employees took part, with over his younger sister having growths removed too.