NEWARK – The Licking County Health Department (LCHD) is encouraging Licking County residents to get their colorectal cancer screening by offering free colorectal test kits to the public. Colorectal cancer screenings save lives.
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the U.S., but it can be prevented. Colonoscopies can help find precancerous polyps so they can be removed before they turn into cancer. Screening of your stool can also find colorectal cancer early, when treatment is most effective. If you are 50 or older – don’t wait, get screened.
LCHD is offering free colorectal cancer screening test kits to Licking County men and women who are between the ages of 50 and 75. The new program is in partnership with Licking Memorial Health System (LMHS) and is designed to detect blood in the stool which can be an early sign of colorectal cancer.
Residents simply call LCHD at (740) 349-6687 and request a free colorectal screening kit to be mailed to their home. The kit is labeled with clear screening instructions. Next, the patient can mail the completed screening kit at no cost directly to Licking Memorial Hospital’s Laboratory to be analyzed. The test results will be relayed back to the patient and if any follow-up is needed, LCHD will provide the patient a list of LMHS physicians that are accepting new patients so that further evaluation can be done.
Don’t flush away early detection that could save your life. Symptoms of colorectal cancer usually occur in the later stages. If detected early, there are high chances of recovery. Get your free colorectal screening kit from the Licking County Health Department by calling (740) 349-6535.
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