Colorectal Cancer Awareness

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March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and doctors across the country are trying to remind patients the importance of screening.

Though highly preventable and curable when found early, an estimated 25 thousand Canadians were diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2015.

It can be a sensitive subject and Health Officials in Niagara are making the touchy topic easier to talk about, thanks to a giant colon.

It stretches 12 metres long and more than 2 metres high. The pink, coiled, tube-like organ plays an important role in our digestive system.

Niagara Health System in partnership with Juravinski Cancer Centre have brought a giant colon to the Pen Centre in St. Catharines.

The inflatable colon features interactive displays to help educate residents about colorectal cancer.

In Canada, colorectal cancer is the second deadliest cancer in men and is the third leading cause of death from cancer in women.

Over 9 thousand Canadian men and women will die from colorectale cancer this year.

While the risk of getting the disease increases at about 50 years old, it can affect anyone.

Family history of the disease increases a person’s odds of developing the cancer.

The faecal occult blood test, simply known as the FOBT is a test that can be done in the privacy of your own home.

It involves taking samples of your feces, which are then sent to a lab for testing.

When colon cancer is diagnosed early, it has nearly a 90 percent chance of being cured.