March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and McDonough District Hospital is offering a non-invasive screening test for free, explains Vice President of Business Strategy Patrick Osterman:
“Colorectal cancer is the second deadliest cancer in the United States. It makes getting screened very important. It used to be that turning the age of 50, that was the time to start thinking about a colonoscopy, but in recent years, because so many younger people are starting to get diagnosed, the American Cancer Society now recommends to screening at age 45. One preliminary screening option is the Hemoccult ICT test. We are handing out test kits and performing the screening test for free during the month of March. It is a non-invasive, at home screening test that looks for both abnormal DNA and blood in your stool. All you have to do is follow the instructions inside the test kit and you can drop off the test card at our MDH Drive Thru or you can mail it back to our MDH Laboratory.”
Test kits are available for pick-up at the MDH Drive Thru in Macomb and also at primary care provider practices.