Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Courtesy
LINCOLN — According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), colon cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men and women. Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in Nebraska as well as the United States.
With March being Colon Cancer Awareness Month, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services reminds Nebraska residents over the age of 45 that they may be eligible for free colon cancer screening services through the Nebraska Colon Cancer Screening Program. DHHS offers free Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) kits to Nebraskans because colon cancer is preventable with screening.
“Nebraska residents ages 45 and older can call our office for a home testing kit. As part of Colon Cancer Awareness Month, we are offering these kits for free,” said Melisa Leypoldt, Program Director of DHHS Women’s and Men’s Health Programs. “Colon cancer is preventable, treatable, and beatable through screening and early detection. Our goal is to make a difference in the lives of our community members and their loved ones.”
FIT Kits are effective, easy, and quick to complete – within five minutes. There are no dietary restrictions, liquids, or prep to take before the test.
Nebraska’s colon cancer incidence rate is 44.2 per 100,000. For those who are more visual, if you were to look down your row while sitting in Memorial Stadium on a football Saturday, at least one of those individuals would be diagnosed with or die from colon cancer unless they prevent it with routine screening.
“More Nebraskans are receiving colon cancer screenings than in years past, but we still have more progress to make and more lives to save,” said Dr. Timothy Tesmer, DHHS Chief Medical Officer. “Nebraska has the seventh highest mortality rate for colon cancer in the nation, which is a statistic we are actively working to improve. We encourage all Nebraskans over the age of 45 to get screened for colon cancer.”
To request a FREE at-home FIT Kit for colon cancer screening, visit https://cip-dhhs.ne.gov/redcap/surveys/?s=RXHXTKJT3Y44FRFA
Additional information about colon cancer in Nebraska can be found at https://dhhs.ne.gov/Documents/Colon%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf . For more information about the Nebraska Colon Cancer Screening Program, call 800-532-2227 or visit https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Colon-Screening.aspx.
