FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Wed., Feb. 27, 2013
CONTACT: [See names at end of release]
GROUPS COME TOGETHER TO REMIND OREGONIANS
IT’S COLORECTAL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
Friday, 3/1 is “Dress in Blue Day” as March kicks off with Gov. Kitzhaber
proclaiming March as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, with free screening tests
for
those who cannot pay for the life-saving screenings in Portland and Salem
(Portland and Salem, Ore.) - Dozens of local physicians and health groups are raising awareness
for Oregonians to take advantage of preventive screenings for colon and rectal cancers during
the coming month. Physicians and staffs with Gastroenterology Specialists of Oregon, Salem
Gastroenterology Consultants, Northwest Gastroenterology Clinic, Steve Baker Colorectal
Cancer Alliance, Project Access of Marion and Polk County, Familias en Accion and Project
Access NOW, have banded together to both encourage fellow Oregonians ages 50 and over to
get screening colonoscopies and to provide free screenings for patients who are uninsured,
underinsured, medically underserved or otherwise cannot pay for the screenings.
“We and our fellow provider clinics anticipate screening as many as 100 patients in the
Portland and Salem areas at no charge to them,” says Jon Mason, M.D., a gastroenterologist
with Gastroenterology Specialists of Oregon. The Portland practices are working with Project
Access NOW and Familias en Accion. In Salem, Salem Gastro is working with Project Access of
Marion and Polk counties.
Dr. Mason adds, “This is a large community-wide effort and the Project Access organizations
are helping connect us to patients in need so we can help them get screened. It’s important to
partner together to volunteer our medical services for this worthy cause, so it reminds all of us
to ensure we get screened appropriately for this most deadly form of cancer.”
Michell Baker of the Portland-based Steve Baker Colorectal Cancer Alliance, a nonprofit
committed to advocating and raising awareness about the importance of the early detection
and prevention of colorectal cancer, believes in conquering “colorectal cancer one
conversation at a time.” The alliance was launched after the death of Michell’s father, Steve
Baker in July, 2008, at the age of just 56, due to colon cancer. The alliance was founded by
Steve’s family who are involved in the effort to ensure that race, age or other health service
inequities do not hinder people from getting screened or from learning about prevention
strategies.
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of Oregon cancer deaths, but is 90 percent preventable
when caught early. A screening test, called a colonoscopy, is a procedure to visually examine the
lining of the large bowel and colon with a video monitor. Colonoscopy is a valuable tool for the
diagnosis and treatment of many diseases of the large intestine; especially colon polyps and cancer.
According to recent studies, colonoscopy alone can reduce a patient’s risk of dying from colorectal
cancer by more than 50 percent.
Only about 60 percent of Oregon men and women are getting screened as recommended. In
Oregon and nationally, increasing screenings for colorectal cancer is a top priority.
Gastroenterology Specialists of Oregon, Salem Gastro and Northwest Gastroenterology Clinic have
partnered with Project Access NOW to provide free colonoscopies since 2008, providing health and
diagnostic services to hundreds of Project Access NOW patients for non-routine, related conditions
such as abdominal pain, irritable bowel disease, anemia, etc., who have not otherwise had access to
routine cancer screenings.
All the participating practices are receiving support from local pathologists, Miraca Life
Sciences, Boston Scientific and Braintree.
###
For more information, contact any of these organizations:
Project Access NOW, Portland
Gastroenterology Specialists of Oregon
Steve Baker Colorectal Cancer Alliance
Northwest Gastroenterology Clinic
Salem Gastroenterology Consultants
Project Access of Marion and Polk Counties
Familias en Accion
c
Janet Hamilton, 503.413.5574
Gail Bacon, 971.224.2460
Michell Baker, 503.307.7344
Heidi Hoxsie, 503.229.7137
Devin Fillman, 503.561.4043
Barbara Halsey, 503.561.6043
Blanca Fernandez, 503.939.8734