Fifth Annual Spring Into Good Health

March 28, 2019

UTHSCT team members in front of the inflatable colon at Spring Into Good Health

On Saturday, March 23, 2019, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler hosted its fifth annual Spring Into Good Health community health fair. With 34 different vendors set up at UT Health East Texas Physicians on W. Gentry Pkwy., the fair served approximately 250 people. The event offered a plethora of free services including:

Colon Screenings.
Dental Screenings.
HIV Screenings.
Mammograms.
Bicycle Helmets.
Immunizations.
Health Screenings (Glucose, Body Mass Index, Blood Pressure, Cholesterol).
Vision Screenings.
Hearing Screenings.
Spinal Checks.

While the event provides multiple health-related services and promotes an overall healthy lifestyle, the primary focus revolves around colorectal cancer and educating the community about screenings and preventative measures. Thus, its March host date, by no accident, coincides with National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer, while being one of the most preventable cancers, still presents a large threat to the health of Americans.

The American Cancer Society cites colorectal cancer has already seen 145,600 new cases of colorectal cancer in 2019. Specifically, that breaks down to 101,420 new cases of colon cancer and 44,180 new cases of rectal cancer. Additionally, there have already been 51,020 deaths from colorectal cancer in 2019. Colorectal cancer can affect both males and females; one in 22 males will develop colorectal cancer in their lifetime and one in 24 females will develop colorectal cancer in their lifetime.

So, what can you do? It is recommended to begin screenings and tests at the age of 50; although, it has been suggested that the age may drop to 45 in the near future. Additionally, it should be noted that a rise has also been onserved in young adults between the ages of 20-30. Therefore, it is recommended to get a fecal immunochemical test annually. Further, a colonoscopy screening is recommended every 10 years. The Univeristy of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler provides both of these tests for free. For additional information, call (903) 877-8937 or email .