We spoke about The King’s personal update urging Brits to take up screening programs on Fiveaa. The information we shared is below.

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In Australia there are several organised, free cancer screening programs, plus some scans and tests that are bulk‑billed or subsidised for eligible people. Eligibility usually depends on age, sex, and risk factors, and screening is only for people without symptoms.

Screening Programs

– BreastScreen Australia offers free screening mammograms every 2 years for women and some trans and gender diverse people mainly aged 50–74; people aged 40–49 or over 74 can usually self‑refer for free mammograms, but are not routinely invited.

– The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program mails free home stool test (FOBT) kits every 2 years to people aged 50–74, and people aged 45–49 can now request a free kit; the program is being extended so the eligible age range is 45–74.

– The National Cervical Screening Program provides essentially no‑out‑of‑pocket primary HPV tests (including self‑collection options) for most women and people with a cervix aged 25–74 through Medicare when done at recommended intervals.

– The National Lung Cancer Screening Program provides free low‑dose CT lung scans every 2 years for eligible people (for example, aged roughly 50–70 with a significant smoking history and no symptoms), with Medicare covering the scan. Eligibility is based on age and cumulative smoking exposure (“pack‑years”), worked out with a GP who then refers into the program.

In a pre-recorded message for the UK’s “Stand Up To Cancer” campaign, King Charles shared his positive progress and emphasized the life-saving potential of early diagnosis. He stated that his own cancer, which was detected during a procedure for a benign enlarged prostate, was caught early, allowing him to continue an active life while undergoing treatment.