Governor Branstad to Declare March Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
Governor Branstad will sign a proclamation Thursday, February 28 declaring March as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in Iowa. According to the State Health Registry of Iowa, 1,640 Iowans are expected to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2013.
“Too many families are affected by this debilitating disease, which is 90 percent treatable if detected early,” said Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director, Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks. “As many as 60 percent of deaths from colorectal cancer could be avoided if everyone aged 50 or older were screened regularly.”
Unfortunately, many Iowans still haven’t received that important message. According to the 2010 Iowa Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey, only about 64 percent of Iowans aged 50 or older report ever having been screened for colorectal cancer.
As part of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, IDPH is partnering with the Iowa Cancer Consortium and the American Cancer Society to encourage prevention through regular screening. IDPH also encourages all Iowans to participate in National Dress in Blue Day™ to raise awareness of colon cancer.
For more information, visit www.dressinblueday.com and www.noexcusesiowa.com.
