Travel through a 20-foot-long inflatable replica of the human colon. It just may save your life.
Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center will host “Strollin’ Through the Colon,” a National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month event featuring a 20-foot-long inflatable replica of the human colon. Free and open to the public, the event will take place on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the main lobby of Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, 94 Old Short Hills Road, Livingston, NJ 07039. Registration is not required.
To encourage education and prevention of colon cancer, attendees can walk through the interactive colon. “It is our hope that this event will help to lessen the fear of colonoscopy by showing the benefits of early detection and polyp removal, greatly improving survival of the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S.,” explains Mark E. Gilder, MD, colon and rectal surgeon at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center and member of RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group. Free FIT kits, an at-home screening tool for colon cancer, will be distributed.
Dr. Gilder explains that through proper screening, doctors can find and remove hidden growths, called “polyps,” in the colon, before they become cancerous. “Sometimes, removing polyps can prevent cancer altogether,” he adds. The recommendation is for individuals of average risk of colorectal cancer to begin regular screening at age 45 and those at higher risk to speak to their doctor about getting screened sooner.
Throughout the event, Dr. Gilder, gastroenterologist Matthew Askin, MD, along with staff from The Cancer Center at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center and Gastro Intestinal (GI) Endoscopy Center will be available to answer questions about colon health, disease prevention and screenings, and available treatments for colon diseases.
RWJBarnabas Health and Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey—the state’s only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center—brings a world-class team of researchers and specialists to fight alongside you, providing close-to-home access to the latest cancer treatment and clinical trials. To make a screening appointment or learn more, visit rwjbh.org/colonscreening.