GSC Newsletter (10) - Flipbook - Page 2
MY JOURNEY AS A COLONOSCOPY
PATIENT - DR STEVEN LU
As a doctor and founder of a preventative health service, I’ve referred
hundreds of patients for colonoscopies, but recently, I found myself
experiencing one for the first time—not as a physician, but as a patient.
I was referred to a Gastroenterologist at GSC and underwent my
procedure with them. Like many, I was curious about the bowel
preparation process and wondered if it would be as "tough" as some say.
In truth, it wasn’t bad at all—though staying near a toilet is nonnegotiable! To help demystify the experience for first-timers, we
recorded parts of my journey.
Bowel cancer is on the rise globally. When I graduated from medical
school 20 years ago, it was almost unheard of for younger people to
have bowel cancer. Fast forward to today, and it’s not uncommon to see
patients in their 40s, 30s, or even 20s diagnosed with the disease. In
fact, if you were born after 1990, your risk of rectal cancer is four times
higher than that of your parents’ generation. Screening colonoscopies
are invaluable; around 1 in 4 people over 50 have precancerous polyps.
I’ve found among my Everlab patients that that number is even higher.
On a personal note, I didn’t have a family history of bowel cancer,
however, both my parents have had precancerous polyps detected and
removed, highlighting the power of early intervention. Personalised
health isn’t just about ticking boxes for a family history of cancer—it’s
about understanding your unique health profile as well as considering
trends like the prevalence of precancerous findings and leveraging that
knowledge to make proactive decisions.
Overall, the experience went smoothly,. From the clear pre-procedure
instructions to the care I received on the day, I felt completely
supported. My Gastroenterologist was meticulous, meeting me both
before the procedure to go over the process, and afterwards to discuss
findings. Impressively, I knew my results before leaving the hospital and
my referring doctor received the report while I was still waking up from
anaesthetic.
If your patients are apprehensive about colonoscopy, reassuring them
that the journey can be smooth and simple, with the potential to save or
extend their life, can go a long way to allay any concerns they may have..
GSC GIVES BACK!
ON SATURDAY 12TH OCTOBER THE GSC ADMIN TEAM
& DOCTORS SPENT THE AFTERNOON VOLUNTEERING
WITH FAIRSHARE PREPARING MEALS FOR THOSE
DOING IT TOUGH IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE ASSEMBLED, PACKED & SEALED AN AMAZING
1004 MEALS! WE ALSO CHOPPED 70KGS OF MEAT
& A HUGE VOLUME OF VEGIES. WHAT A TEAM!!!
Dr Steven Lu is a
Specialist General
Practitioner &
Preventative Health
Consultant.
He is the Founder &
Chief Medical Officer at
Everlab. Everlab is a
personalised health
service focused on
prevention and health
optimisation.
THIS ARTICLE IS A PATIENT’S PERSPECTIVE ONLY.
NEITHER GSC NOR EVERLAB RECEIVE ANY
FINANCIAL BENEFIT FROM THIS.
