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Michigan Receives 5-Year Grant to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates
September 22, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
September 22, 2015
LANSING, Mich. – Michigan aims to increase colorectal cancer screening rates in the state from 72 percent currently to 80 percent by 2018 through a five-year grant awarded to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Cancer Prevention and Control Section from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"It’s vital that Michigan residents follow colorectal cancer screening expert guidelines in order to detect and treat cancer earlier," said Eden Wells, MD, chief medical executive of the MDHHS. "Receipt of this grant is an indicator of the quality colorectal cancer screening services that Michigan provides. This grant will support the work that remains to improve screening rates in order to detect and prevent more cancers."
Michigan was one of 30 agencies in the U.S. to receive this grant funding to work with health systems in state to modify their systems and policies to increase and improve CRC screening. Michigan was one of only six agencies awarded funding to specifically provide CRC screening services and help reduce disparities among vulnerable low-income populations that currently have screening rates below the state average.
In addition to this five-year grant, Michigan was one of 11 states selected and funded to send a team of health professionals to Atlanta to plan specific actions which will help increase screening rates at Federally Qualified Health Care Centers throughout Michigan.
Adults should begin screening for colorectal cancer at age 50. If you have a family history of colorectal cancer or polyps, talk to your doctor about screening earlier. The different tests that are used for colorectal cancer screening include stool tests, sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy. Residents are encouraged to talk with their doctor to choose the best test for you.
Colorectal cancer is preventable, detectable and treatable with regular screening and follow-up. For more information about Michigan’s colorectal cancer prevention efforts, visit www.michigan.gov/cancer.
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