Free Colorectal Screening Campaign Launched Community-wide
Program provides 15,000 free colorectal cancer screening kits
DAYTON, OHIO, March 1, 2010 –Anyone age 50 or older can pick up this free, simple home screening kit that can save his or her life.
During March, area residents can pick up a free, easy-to-use colorectal home screening kit to help find colon and rectal cancers early. The kit will be offered at more than 20 participating Kroger pharmacies in Beavercreek, Centerville, Dayton, Englewood, Fairborn, Huber Heights, Kettering, Miamisburg, Piqua, Sidney, Springboro, Springfield, Troy, Vandalia and Xenia.
The give-a-way is part of “Test for Life,” a major health campaign to educate the community about the importance of colorectal cancer screenings. The campaign is presented by Premier Health Partners, Kroger, WDTN Channel 2, Vectren and DigestiveCare.
Throughout the campaign, WDTN will provide information about colorectal cancer, the benefits of screening and early detection and the home kit give-a-way.
It is important to know that the kits do not screen for cancer. They look for hidden blood in a person’s stool, which can be caused by many things, including possible cancer. If a person has blood in their stool, it is important to know why.
“Colorectal screenings are different in that they can actually help prevent cancer,” said Pamela M. Reichel, executive director of Premier Community Health. “Over the past several years, we have found many people who needed more testing after they used their take-home screening kit and found out they had polyps, which can eventually turn into cancer."
To find polyps or early colorectal cancer, people in their 50s should be screened regularly. People who are at higher-than-average risk of colorectal cancer should talk with their doctor about whether to have screening tests before age 50, what tests to have, the benefits and risks of each test, and how often to schedule appointments.
Each take-home colorectal screening kits includes a free EZ Detect™ screening. This screening may find hidden blood in the stool, which can be an early sign of colorectal disease, including polyps or cancer. This test is user-friendly and does not require handling of the stool or laboratory analysis.
Participants who return their result cards by May 14 are entered to win a $50 Kroger gift card. Anyone who has a questionable or abnormal result will receive a follow-up phone call from a Premier Community Health health educator.