Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month is upon us this month.

Colorectal Cancer is one of the most preventable cancers. If you get screened for it and find out early on, you may have a chance of getting it cured.

Tia Rapps, Community Cancer Education Coordinator, Regional Cancer Center, Springfield Memorial Hospital, was on the WTAX Morning Newswatch recently to bring awareness, and to explain how important it is to get screened!

What is colorectal cancer, and what does colorectal mean?

“It’s a term that’s used to include colon and rectal cancer,” said Rapps.  “Just across the board, the month of March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month just to bring awareness, start those conversations with families about if anybody in the family has been diagnosed, and know your risk factors. It’s one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in both men and women, and it’s the second leading cause of cancer death.”

What’s the difference between all the other cancers and this one?

“It’s one of the most preventable cancers, because screaming can find precancerous polyps before they turn into cancer, and we can remove those and it’s cancer prevention,” said Rapps.

What are some early symptoms you look for when screening is happening?

“Studies are ongoing, but I think we do have kind of a beginning knowledge that it could be because of environmental exposures, our diets, risk factors that we know,” said Rapps, “obesity being overweight, not being active, those things obviously increase our risk for all the things.”

How early do these signs of Colorectal Cancer show up?

“Like any cancer, if it’s early, a lot of times there are no symptoms, and that’s why it’s so important to bring awareness, to get screened, because there may be not be any symptoms,” said Rapps.  “But as things progress, you can have bleeding in the stool or on the stool, changes in the bowel habits, weight loss, abdominal pain, or unusual fatigue. Those are all things to start in other conversation with your provider. And, you know your body. I think that’s the most important thing. If something’s different, you need to have a conversation with your doctor.”

March 25th, 3:30PM to 6:00PM at the Memorial Drive Thru Lab, they are giving away “Fit Kits” — at home screening tools. For more information you can call 217-788-4400.