MDH is offering free Colorectal Cancer Screening Kits
- Category: News
- Posted On:
With the start of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, McDonough District Hospital is offering free Hemoccult-ICT test kits to raise awareness and prevention of colorectal cancer.
Kits are available for free at the following locations:
| Admitting First floor McDonough District Hospital Monday-Friday 6:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday 6:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | MDH Bushnell Family Practice 1150 N. Cole St, Bushnell Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. | MDH Family Clinic Suite 213 Second floor Health Services Building 2 Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. |
This kit detects bleeding from the lower GI tract and is a safe, noninvasive way to detect colorectal cancer. The Hemoccult-ICT is a screening, not a diagnosis for colorectal cancer. Those who are age 45 or older, or are at higher risk because of personal or family history of colorectal cancer or colon polyps, should consider this screening.
According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 147,950 people will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 53,200 could die from this disease in 2020. This disease does not discriminate based on gender, age, or race with one in 20 people diagnosed with colorectal cancer in their lifetime.
In Illinois and across the nation, incidences of colorectal cancer are on the rise, especially in younger generations.
Fortunately, the number of deaths attributed to colorectal cancer has been decreasing, in part thanks to preventative screenings such as the Hemoccult-ICT test kits.
Free test kits are available through April 27. The Hemoccult-ICT test kit checks for blood in bowel movements (stool) and is completed in the privacy of one’s home. There are NO dietary restrictions and instructions will be included with the kit. The completed kit may be mailed back using the envelope provided to the MDH Lab, which will conduct a free analysis if the kit is returned by Monday, May 4. Each participant will be notified of their results.
For more information about the kits, please contact MDH Outreach Services at (309) 836-1584.