March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
Hudson Headwaters Health Network has signed a pledge to meet a goal set by two national health organizations that are seeking to increase the number of people who are screened for colorectal cancer. The American Cancer Society and the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable have set a goal of 80% screening by 2018.
“March is colorectal awareness month, and we want to help reduce this major public health problem,” said John Rugge, MD, chief executive officer for Hudson Headwaters. “It is the second leading cause of cancer death for men and women combined, and a cause of considerable suffering among more than 140,000 adults diagnosed with colorectal cancer each year. However, colorectal cancer can be detected early at a curable stage, and it can be prevented through detection and removal of precancerous polyps.” Rugge said that ensuring access to preventive health screenings is a core part of Hudson Headwaters’ mission.
“80% by 2018″ is a National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable (NCCRT) initiative in which hundreds of organizations have committed to eliminating colorectal cancer as a major public health problem and are working toward the shared goal of 80% of adults aged 50 and older being regularly screened for colorectal cancer by 2018,” said Dr. Alvaro Carrascal, Vice President of Health Systems for the American Cancer Society. “We congratulate Hudson Headwaters Health Network for signing on to this pledge, and for their commitment to saving lives from colon cancer.”
The pledge states: Our organizations stand united in the belief that we can eliminate colorectal cancer as a major public health problem. We have screening technologies that work, the national capacity to apply these technologies, and effective local models for delivering the continuum of care in a more organized fashion.