Mercy Urges Residents to get Colons Checked - KOAM TV 7

Mercy Urges Residents to get Colons Checked

Mercy Hospital is urging patients and residents to have their colons checked for Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

Mercy Hospital and the American Cancer Society were on hand at the Northpark Mall with information on colon cancer.

There was a 40 foot inflatable colon that displayed symptoms of different colon diseases along with cooking demonstrations and doctors on hand to answer questions.

Officials say ignoring the symptoms of colon problems can be dangerous.

"Most people don't realize colon cancer is the number 3 cancer in the country. There's about 100 to 110 thousand new cases every year of colon cancer. But the biggest thing is we want to find them earlier" says Colon Surgeon Bob Dodson.

Officials say men around the age of 50 are urged to undergo a colonoscopy to remove possibly cancerous polyps. For women, the typical age is 40.