Breakfast co-host Jenny-May Clarkson has made an emotional plea to New Zealanders to check their bowel health after a surprise finding at her latest colonoscopy procedure.
The 50-year-old presenter lost her older brother Jeffery to bowel cancer in 2018 and has been outspoken about the importance of regular checks.
In a post to her Instagram story, Clarkson shared an image of her in the hospital waiting room after undergoing a colonoscopy.
"Colonoscopy done," she wrote. "My bro died of bowel cancer 6 years ago. I had a polyp removed today."
A polyp is a small growth on the lining of the bowel, and while common and often not serious, they can sometimes develop into bowel cancer.
She added that she had no polyps at her last check-up five years ago and that this one had been removed for analysis.
The co-host cited her example as a reason for New Zealanders to "take care of yourselves and please get checked".
Clarkson has been an active spokeswoman for Bowel Cancer New Zealand in the years since her brother's death and has talked about the impact it had on her family.
"Bowel cancer has a ripple effect on everyone who is close to you. So if you have any symptoms, get them checked early – for their sake."
Bowel cancer was the second highest cause of cancer death in New Zealand, with 1200 Kiwis dying of the disease every year.
To mark the start of Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, the Sky Tower will be lit up in green from 6pm on Saturday night.
For more infomation, go to bowelcancernz.org.
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