Somerset County Promoting Colon Cancer Awareness

The Somerset Couny Board of Freeholders and the Morris-Somerset Regional Chronic Disease Coalition (RCDC) are hoping to raise awareness among county residents about colon cancer.

The Board of Freeholders and RCDC, along with its partners, are encouraging residents to get screened for colon cancer and incorporate a healthy diet to reduce the chances of developing colon cancer. The two suggest incorporating fiber and whole grains into a diet.

“The goal of the March Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month campaign is to increase awareness about colorectal cancer, which does not discriminate,” Freeholder Peter S. Palmer, public health and safety liaison, said in a releas from Somerset County. “According to the Centers for Disease Control and Protection, colorectal cancer affects both men and women, is the second leading cancer-related killer in the United States and is the third most common cancer in men and women.”

Through educational campaigns, projects and parternships with health care providers, the RCDC has worked to increase the number of people going for early-detection cancer screenings in Somerset and Morris counties for nearly a decade, the release said.

“This year we hope to enlist all RCDC members and community members at large to join us in this prevention effort,” Palmer said in the release. “We encourage residents age 50 and older or those people who are younger who have risk factors and a family history of colon cancer to learn about the importance of screenings. Treatment works best and outcomes are better when cancer is found at an early stage.”

The RCDC is also promoting cancer awareness with multiple programs and initiatives, including “Fiber Fridays”, used to encourage adding fiber-rich foods into a diet, and a program called “Is Your Colon Fit? Passing the Test.”

For more information regarding programs and initiatives from the RCDC, visit the coalition’s website for a calendar of tips and hints.

(Photo courtesy of Somerset County officials)