There's a push for urgency on bowel screening on the West Coast

The Coast has one of the highest bowel cancer rates in the country for people in their 60s, and close to half of locals diagnosed with the disease die of it.

Free testing kits for people aged 60 to 74 are only hitting the region next month, while they're already available in 14 other regions.

The Cancer Society's Martin Witt says they should have been available sooner -- but a few kinks had to be ironed out first.

He wants the Government to invest more in preventative cancer measures, because the earlier cancer is spotted, the better.