For more information, contact:

Julie Mikkelson

Work: 952-924-5065

Mobile: 651-210-6758

jmikkel1@fairview.org

EDINA, Minn. (February 27, 2008) – To kick off March as colorectal cancer awareness month, a collaboration of local health care organizations is offering under- or uninsured Minnesotans free colorectal cancer screenings on Saturday, March 1, 2008 at Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina.

Twenty-three patients are scheduled for colorectal cancer screenings on Saturday. A similar event in November provided free colonoscopies to 21 uninsured Minnesotans -six of whom had polyps removed.

Services are donated by Fairview Southdale Hospital, Minnesota Gastroenterology, PA, and Colon and Rectal Surgery Associates, Ltd., with additional support from the Minnesota Department of Health's Sage Screening Program and the Colon Cancer Coalition. The events are the result of the collaboration of several organizations guided by the Minnesota Cancer Alliance’s Colorectal Cancer Task Force.

In Minnesota 2,500 people are diagnosed with colorectal cancer each year and another 900 Minnesotans die from the disease. “With screening, colorectal cancer is one of the most detectable and preventable cancers, but it remains Minnesota’s second leading cancer killer,” said Richard E. Karulf, M.D., Colon & Rectal Surgery Associates, Ltd. Only 66 percent of Minnesotans of screening age (50) are getting screened, he said.

The collaborating organizations hope to increase the number of Minnesotans are screened annually by eventually expanding free services state-wide.

“What a gift it was to be offered such a blessing,” said a patient who was screened at the November event.  “I’d had polyps with my first colonoscopy in 2001 and was advised to have another in five years. But I lost my health insurance and without it, the cost was prohibitive for me.  Luckily, I was able to take advantage of this colorectal cancer screening program, to ensure a healthy future for myself.” 

To help expand colorectal cancer screening, the American Cancer Society, the Minnesota Cancer Alliance and statewide volunteers worked with State Senator Kathy Sheran of Mankato and Representative Maria Ruud of Minnetonka to introduce Minnesota’s Colorectal Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Act. Supporters will unite during the upcoming March 6 Cancer Day at the Capitol to support this bill. The bill (S.F. 2698 & H.F. 2890) would create a program providing under and uninsured Minnesotans with access to colorectal cancer screenings. The program would be similar to the existing Sage Screening Program, a breast and cervical cancer screening program funded by the state of Minnesota.

To learn more about colon cancer, visit www.cancer.org.