Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among both men and women in Arizona. Cancer can be detected early through a screening test, like a colonoscopy or an at-home test, when patient outcomes can be most impacted. The Arizona Department of Health Services, along with organizations throughout the U.S., has taken the challenge to increase screening rates to 80 percent by 2018. The “80% by 2018” initiative aims to screen 80 percent of adults 50 years of age and older for colorectal cancer by the year 2018.
On Monday, March 9, the American Cancer Society hosted a live national broadcast event for a look at the first year of the 80% by 2018 effort. The broadcast featured Virginia Warren, our Cancer Prevention and Control Office Chief. The Cancer Prevention and Control Office operates the Fit at Fifty HealthCheck Program which provides resources for uninsured and underinsured folks to get screened for colorectal cancer.
The broadcast featured national leaders including Dr. Richard Wender, Chair of the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable, and Chief Cancer Control Officer of the American Cancer Society, Dr. Lisa C. Richardson, Director of the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you’re interested in learning more about “80% by 2018,” check out the re-play of the national broadcast, “80% by 2018 – Moving Forward Together.”
