Artist Hanne Koch from Randers turns her cancer experience into a bold campaign urging Danes over 50 to take part in the national bowel cancer screening. Her message is simple and direct: “Just do it.”
An Artist Turns Pain Into Purpose
In Randers, local artist Hanne Koch has transformed her personal fight with rectal cancer into a public mission. Her colorful paintings, displayed in more than 40 shops across the city, carry a message that stops people in their tracks and often makes them laugh before they think twice: “Send that stool sample.”
Just a year ago, Koch lived an ordinary artist’s life, focused on her studio and exhibitions. Suddenly, it all changed when she was diagnosed with bowel cancer. The discovery came late because she never made use of Denmark’s national screening program for intestinal and colon cancer. Now she wants to make sure others do not make the same mistake.
Overcoming Embarrassment for Health’s Sake
Since 2014, all Danes aged 50 to 74 have received an invitation every two years for screening that can catch cancer at an early, treatable stage. Despite that, only about six out of ten people actually send in their samples. Koch believes that number is far too low.
Many ignore it because they find the process uncomfortable or even embarrassing. The test involves sending a small stool sample in a prepaid return envelope. Yet this simple step can save lives. For Koch, humor is key. “People stop, laugh, and talk about something they normally wouldn’t,” she often explains when describing how the campaign lightens up a serious subject.
The campaign, developed with actress Bodil Jørgensen, uses humor and art together. They agreed from the start that it should be different—funny enough to grab attention but serious in purpose. The quirky slogan appears on ceramic tiles displayed around Randers, sparking new kinds of conversations between locals about an otherwise taboo topic.
Doctors Back the Message
Medical experts applaud Koch’s initiative. According to Berit Andersen, chief physician at Randers Regional Hospital, colon cancer screening targets those who feel perfectly healthy. Early discovery means higher survival rates and easier treatment. For those who participate, the process is straightforward and free through the national Danish healthcare system.
Participants receive a small testing kit including a sample stick, a tube, and a prepaid envelope. A simple brush of the sample into the tube, placed in the envelope and mailed, completes the test in minutes—a small act that could prevent serious illness.
Facts About Colon and Rectal Cancer
Each year, around 5,000 Danes are diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer, and about 2,000 die from it. Men face a higher risk than women, and lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol, low-fiber diets, and high red meat consumption increase the likelihood of cancer. Regular physical activity and fiber-rich diets significantly reduce risk. Genetic factors can also play a role, making family history an important detail to share with doctors.
Despite these risks, cancer can appear even in people without obvious lifestyle or genetic factors, which makes routine screening vital.
Art With a Purpose
Koch’s campaign is about more than raising awareness. It also aims to make hospitals and clinics more comforting places for patients. During her own treatments, she spent endless hours in waiting rooms she describes as bare and lifeless. That inspired her to create art that brings hope and color into healthcare environments.
Through her friendship with Bodil Jørgensen, Koch gathered signatures from several well-known Danes on her paintings. These works will be auctioned in spring, with proceeds going toward artwork for hospital corridors and waiting rooms. Her goal is to make medical spaces feel a little less cold for those going through tough times.
Looking Toward Recovery
The past year has been filled with operations and chemotherapy. Now, Koch awaits final medical results and hopes soon to be officially declared cancer-free. Her message to others is clear and urgent. Participating in bowel cancer screening is a small act that saves lives.
For anyone living in or moving to Denmark, understanding how the national healthcare system works—and making use of its preventive programs—can make all the difference.
Sources and References
The Danish Dream: Danish Healthcare Explained for Tourists & Expats
The Danish Dream: Health Insurance in Denmark for Foreigners
DR: Hanne har et vigtigt budskab til dig over 50 år: Skid så i den kuvert
