Free Colorectal Cancer Screenings Offered in March:
Feb 26, 2009
Early Detection Means Lives Saved
Brooklyn, NY - March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is encouraging Brooklyn residents to get a free colorectal cancer screening. Free screenings are available Wednesdays in March from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the SUNY Downstate Digestive Disease and Endoscopy Center, 760 Parkside Avenue, between Nostrand and New York Avenues.
There will also be a Health Fair at the Center on Saturday, March 28th, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Free colorectal cancer, blood pressure, and diabetes screenings; videos, brochures, and health information; and refreshments will be available at the fair.
"Colon cancer is a very easy disease to avoid. People just need to be aware of their risk factors and follow the screening guidelines," says Frank Gress, MD, professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at SUNY Downstate. "Many people avoid screenings because they are afraid of what we might find, but colorectal cancer is an extremely slow growing cancer. When detected early, there is a 90% survival rate.”
Dr. Gress is director of the Digestive Disease and Endoscopy Center at SUNY Downstate, and one of Castle Connolly's "Top Doctors” of 2009.
Colorectal cancer is a disease that it often preventable through appropriate screening techniques. Colonoscopy can catch and remove pre-cancerous polyps before they turn into colorectal cancer. Current national guidelines recommend it mainly for people age 50 and over, who face the highest risk and should get checked every 10 years. If it is determined through a colorectal cancer screening that you need a colonoscopy but you do not have insurance, you may qualify for a free colonoscopy.
For more information, please call the Digestive Disease and Endoscopy Center at 718-282-7234. The Digestive Disease and Endoscopy Center is an affiliate of SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University and a division of its University Physicians of Brooklyn, Inc.
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About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn is one of four academic health centers (AMCs) in The State University of New York (SUNY) 64-campus system and the only SUNY AMC in New York City dedicated to health education, research, and patient care for the borough’s 2.7 million residents. Its flagship hospital, University Hospital at Downstate (UHD), is a teaching hospital and benefits from the expertise of Downstate’s exceptional medical school and world-class academic center research facilities. With a staff of over 800 physicians representing 53 specialties and subspecialties, Downstate offers comprehensive healthcare services to the community.
UHD provides high-risk neonatal and infant services, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis for kidney diseases and is the only kidney transplantation program in Brooklyn. Beyond its clinical expertise, Downstate houses a range of esteemed educational institutions, including its College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Public Health. Downstate fosters innovation through its multifaceted biotechnology initiative, the Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT, which support early-stage and more mature biotech companies.