Calvert County Health Department

Keep Your Colon Rollin’!

The Calvert County Health Department hosted its sixth annual “Keep Your Colon Rollin” 5k Walk/ Run on Saturday, March 26th 2011 at Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum. The overall male and female winners were Luis Navarro and Jessica Schwab with times of 18:14 and 20:34 respectively.

Race results were provided by Chesapeake Bay Running Club. 248 people participated in the event benefiting Calvert Healthcare Solutions, a non-profit organization providing primary health care services to low income uninsured Calvert residents. (www.calverthealthcare.org) Patricia Eddleman, a four time cancer survivor encouraged people to listen to their bodies and get screened for colorectal cancer especially if there is a family history.

More pictures of the race are here.

Early Colorectal Cancer Testing Saves Lives

A person with early stages of colorectal cancer may not have signs or symptoms. A person can look healthy, feel fine, and not know there may be a problem. When colorectal cancer is caught early, 90% of people can be cured. Yet, many people are not tested for colorectal cancer, a disease that continues to be the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men and women in Maryland and the nation.

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), approximately 146,970 new colorectal cancer cases in the United States in 2009, and about 49,920 people are estimated to die from colorectal cancer. In Maryland, the ACS estimated 2,620 new cases and 940 deaths in 2009.

Who Should Get Colorectal Cancer Testing?

The American Cancer Society recommends testing for:

• People ages 50 years and over.
• People under 50 years with:
  a personal or family history of colorectal cancer or adenomatous polyps (small growths that can turn into cancer);
  a person with a history of inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis, Crohn colitis); and
• Women who had cancer of the ovary or endometrium (womb) before the age of 50.

Ask your doctor if you should get screened for colorectal cancer. Don’t wait for your doctor to speak with you.

What Are Signs and Symptoms of Colorectal Cancer?

Signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer may include:

• bleeding from the rectum or blood in the stool,
• change in bowel habits, abdominal mass,
• cramps, or pain, and
• iron deficiency anemia that is not caused by other conditions.

Did you know that more than 90% of colorectal cancer is found in people ages 50 years and over? Are you one of the 20% of Marylanders age 50 years and over who has never been tested for colorectal cancer?

The Calvert County Health Department urges people ages 50 years and over or those who are under 50 years and have personal or family health conditions that increase their chances of getting colorectal cancer to contact their doctors for colorectal cancer testing.

In Maryland, Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurance plans help pay for colorectal cancer testing. Take the time to get screened. For more information on colorectal cancer, contact the Calvert County Health Department’s Colorectal Cancer Screening Program at 410-535-5400, ext. 348 or visit www.calverthealth.org.

Special thanks goes to:

St. Leonard Fire and Rescue, Calvert High School NJROTC, Rockin Roger’s DJ service, Jim’s Air Tool & Equipment Rental, J & J Portables, Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum, SMECO, Calvert Memorial Hospital, Calvert Arundel Family Medicine, Calvert Gastroenterology, Calvert Internal Medicine, Shah Associates, Jon S. Frank & Associates, Royalle Dining Services, Dunkin Donuts in Lusby, Ledo’s Pizza, Safeway, Giant, Best Buy, Red Robin, IHOP, Nature’s Way to Health, Aerobics & More, World Gym, Starbucks, Gateway Restaurant, Snyders of Lusby, Entenmanns, Sweet Dreams Candy Shoppe, Janet Moody and our many participants and volunteers for making this event successful!