South Dakota Develops Statewide Colorectal Screening Program
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July 10, 2009
Sioux Falls, SD – A free health benefit is on the way in January for South Dakotans between the ages of 50 and 64 who don't have health insurance. They'll be able to get a free colon cancer screening from their local physician. The new screening program is being developed by the State Department of Health using a $600,000 grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Jill Ireland, specialist for health partnerships with the American Cancer Society in South Dakota, says a broad range of state-based health groups partnered in a pilot project that is being used as a model for the screening program. It gives new hope to South Dakota’s medically underserved, she says.
"The program is going to use a test to check for blood in the stool as the initial screening test for all participants. Individuals with a positive result will receive a follow-up colonoscopy. Women will be served through the All Women Count program, which provides breast and cervical cancer screening to underserved women. The Department of Health will create the first men’s cancer screening program in South Dakota for colorectal cancer."
Colon cancer survivor Deb Hoy of Sioux Falls wants everyone to know the disease is treatable and preventable. Hoy, who is now cancer-free, says the new program will help more South Dakota residents stay on top of their health.
"Cancer in any form is a journey that I wouldn’t want anyone to have to take. I believe we can help more people not take that journey by educating, talking, networking, and by doing as much as we can to help people stay healthy."
2005 Cancer Society data show that 48 percent of men and women age 48 to 64 with private insurance have been screened for colon cancer in the past 10 years. By contrast, only 19 percent who were uninsured were screened. That demonstrates a clear need for the colorectal cancer screening program, according to advocates. More information about colon cancer is available at www.cancer.org.
The health partners who contributed to the pilot program include the Comprehensive Cancer Coalition , the American Cancer Society, the tribal councils in South Dakota, Avera Queen of Peace, Avera McKennan, the Sanford Cancer Center, and the John T. Vurcurevich Cancer Center.