‘Prevention on the Go’ offers colorectal cancer screenings, healthy food boxes

Healthy Blue and Mary Bird Perkins will host several ‘Prevention on the Go’ health events to ensure residents have access to take-home colorectal cancer screening kits and health and education materials at events in Ferriday, Bastrop and Jonesville. 

Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center’s Prevention on the Go education, prevention and early detection program has screened almost 100,000 individuals since it began in 2002, including providing colorectal cancer screening kits.

Healthy Blue and Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center have identified several parishes to target to increase colorectal cancer screening rates. Colorectal cancer is the third most diagnosed caner in Louisiana but is highly treatable when caught early. Since 2002, The Cancer Center has distributed more than 10,000 free colorectal kits, thanks donors, such as Healthy Blue.

“Treatment has advanced tremendously for colorectal cancer, but catching it early is key,” said Myra Gatling-Akers, regional manager of early detection and education for Mary Bird Perkins. “We invite the community to come out and join us for prevention and early detection education, as well as to pick up a free screening kit. We appreciate Healthy Blue’s support in providing this service.”

A fecal immunochemical test (FIT) kit is a test that individuals can take in the privacy of their own home. This test can be performed with no prior preparation but can identify hidden blood in the stool. This detection is important because it can be a sign of precancerous polyps or colorectal cancer. The disease is preventable and highly treatable if detected in its earliest stages.