You Can Help Prevent Colorectal Cancer

You Can Help Prevent Colorectal Cancer

Mr Colon 1In preparation for colorectal cancer awareness during the month of March, Tammi Meissner, SEARHC Health Educator, partnered with the Public Health Nurse, Tari Esposito, in Wrangell, Alaska for a Sidewalk Mini Health Fair on Saturday, February 27, 2016.

While the Wrangell Public Health nurse focused on providing flu shots, Mrs. Meissner focused on providing the community of Wrangell with information on what Colorectal cancer is and when recommended screening should start.  All but one person who stopped by the inflatable Mr. Colon was surprised to find that the recommended beginning screening age for Alaska Natives is 40 and non-Alaska Natives age 50.

Mr. Colon 2People who stopped by to check out Mr. Colon (the blow up colon) were informed about Colorectal Cancer risk factors you can change, such as diet, physical activity, not smoking, and limiting alcohol to no more than 2 drinks a day for men or 1 drink for women.  Mrs. Meissner also shared the Colorectal Cancer risk factors you cannot change such as a personal history of colorectal cancer, a personal history of inflammatory bowel disease, family history of Colorectal Cancer or adenomatous polyps (these polyps are the kin that can become cancerous), having an inherited syndrome such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP and Lynch syndrome), your racial and ethnic background and having type 2 diabetes.

Mrs. Meissner also let the community know that colorectal cancer is the leading cause of new cases of cancer among Alaska Native people.  Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among Alaska Natives and that it can be prevented through screening.  Colorectal cancer often has no symptoms so a colorectal exam is important to stay healthy!

You can help to prevent colorectal cancer!  Support yourself, family, and friends by remembering or reminding yourself and others to get screened if you or they are Alaska Native and over 40 or 50 if non-Alaska Native, or have a family history of colorectal cancer.  People talk to your provider about getting screened today!

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NIHB presents National Tribal Health Conference | Sheraton Grand at Wildhorse Pass in Chandler, Arizona | LEARN MORE AND REGISTER

75 Years Later:  The Impact of the 1950 Papers on Smoking and Lung Cancer | This symposium will celebrate the achievements that have occurred over the past 75 years in the fields of tobacco control, lung cancer epidemiology and causal inference.  Two seminal papers on lung cancer and smoking initiated these three areas of scholarship in 1950.  Since then, significant public health, policy, and research contributions have been made by scholars around the world.  In this symposium, speakers will highlight such accomplishments and present their current research in these fields. | DOWNLOAD FLIER | REGISTER HERE

Association of American Indian Physicians 53rd Annual Meeting | Hyatt Regency Seattle in Seattle, Washington | LEARN MORE AND REGISTER

National Lung Cancer Screening Day | Now in its fourth year, this initiative is kpowered by a dynamic collaboration among the American Cancer Society's National Lung Cancer Roundtable, GO2 for Lung Cancer, the Radiology Health Equity Coalition, and the American College of Radiology. | LEARN MORE