WILMINGTON — Clinton Memorial Hospital (CMH) is hosting a colon cancer education event at Foster J. Boyd, MD Regional Cancer Center on Farquhar Avenue. The free event will be held on Saturday, March 19 from 10 a.m.-noon and all ages are welcome to attend.
Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about colon cancer screening tools, ask questions of medical staff members, talk to a dietitian, and walk through the giant inflatable colon.
The hospital will also be joined by medical staff members who diagnose and treat colon cancer and other diseases of the gastrointestinal system, The American Cancer Society, and local health educators.
CMH CEO Lance Beus, emphasized the importance of colon cancer education.
“Colorectal cancer is among the top three cancers treated at our Foster J. Boyd, MD Regional Cancer Center, and too many people forgo regular screenings for fear of discomfort or due to the perceived inconvenience,” said Beus. “Our hope is that we’ll be able to share more information about a variety of screening methods and tools, and provide direct access to dietitians, medical staff members, health educators, and more.
“You’ll often hear the phrase, ‘Don’t die of embarrassment’ and it couldn’t be more fitting. It’s essential that we arm our community with the facts and resources to catch colon cancer early.”
The inflatable walk-through colon, on loan from The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James), provides children and adults with the opportunity to learn more about how the colon functions, what polyps and tumors look like, and more.
Kristin Andrews, Interim Director of Oncology, shared her excitement for the inflatable colon that will be available to attendees at this year’s event.
“This up-close view of the colon is really remarkable and gives you a very hands-on understanding of a complex organ,” said Andrews. “We hope that by reducing stigma around the colon and creating a fun and educational opportunity for learning, community members will feel encouraged to embrace regular screenings.”
For more information about this year’s event, please visit www.CMHRegional.com.
