Blessing Health offering free cancer screening kits at multiple sites during March

QUINCY — In recognition of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, Blessing Health is providing free, take-home colorectal cancer screening kits to the public during March while supplies last.

Of the more than 153,000 people who are expected to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer this year, only about 40 percent will be diagnosed in the earliest stage, when the survival rate is 90 percent. That is because there often are no clearly identifiable symptoms of the disease in its early stage. Identifiable symptoms typically appear once colorectal cancer has spread and the survival rate decreases. That fact makes screening a key action in decreasing the risk for colorectal cancer.

The kits are available at the following locations:

• Blessing Resource Center, 420 N. 34th, Quincy
• Illini Rural Health Clinic, Pittsfield
• Clark County Health Department, Kahoka, Mo.
• All Hannibal Clinic locations in northeast Missouri
• All Blessing Health clinic locations in Illinois, Missouri and Iowa
• Kits can be picked up at the Blessing Cancer Center by appointment. Call 217-223-8400, ext. 7718 or email stephanie.willey@blessinghealth.org

The free, take-home colorectal cancer screening kits are also available by mail. Go to blessinghealth.org/colonmonth for more information on that option, as well as a complete list of kit pick- up locations and related information regarding colorectal cancer care.