Health

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

Colorectal Cancer – The Cancer You Can Prevent

By Consuelo Saragoza, Multnomah County Health Department

 

“Si no tienes tu salud, no tienes nada.”  I’ve heard this saying from my mother my entire life. At 88, she still says it. That’s why, like lots of people, I try to eat healthy food, get regular exercise, and see my doctor for regular check-ups and health screenings. Once I turned 50, those health screenings began to include screening for colorectal cancer.

Screening is looking for cancer in people who have no symptoms of the disease. In the case of colorectal cancer (cancer of the colon or rectum), screening can often find the disease at an early, more treatable stage. It can also prevent some colon or rectal cancers altogether. This is because some screening tests can find growths (called polyps), which can then be removed before they have a chance to become cancerous.

Unfortunately, Latinos have the lowest colorectal cancer screening rate of all racial and ethnic groups in Multnomah County. According to the most recent information, only 20.8% of Latinos in Multnomah County were up to date on recommended colorectal cancer screenings. The American Cancer Society’s goal is by 2018 to get 80% of all people up to date with their screenings. As a community we have a long way to go.

Though deaths from colorectal cancer in the Latino community are lower than those for other racial and ethnic groups in Multnomah County, they are on the rise. Deaths from colorectal cancer for Latinos have doubled in the last decade.

That’s why talking to your doctor and getting screened are so important. Talk to your family and friends about getting screened too. It may be uncomfortable at first, but the more we talk about this together, the healthier we all can be.

Learn more:

El cancer que se puede prevenir

The cancer you can prevent

Why haven’t you been screened for Colorectal Cancer?

 

It’s embarrassing. I don’t want to talk to my doctor about that!

Yes, it can be difficult to talk with your doctor or your family about things to do with the colon or rectum. It may be a little embarrassing for you, but doctors talk about this all the time with other patients and are not embarrassed.

It’s scary. What if they find cancer?

Cancer is frightening. But cancer of the colon and rectum can actually be prevented and successfully treated when caught early by screening. Screening can mean more happy and healthy time with your family.

I feel healthy, so I don’t need one:

Many people think if they feel healthy, they don’t need to have the test.Colorectal cancer can be symptomless, especially early in the disease. You may not know if anything is wrong. If you wait until symptoms show up, cancer can be very advanced. Why not get screened and be sure?
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2016 LHEC Opening Keynote

STEVEN LOPEZ, MPP, MPH

Manager, Health Policy Project at National Council of La Raza (NCLR)

Steven T. Lopez is the manager of the Health Policy Project at the National Council of La Raza. As manager, Mr. Lopez leads the development and advancement of public policies aimed at increasing the opportunity and ability of Latinos to achieve optimal health no matter who they are, where they live, or how much they earn.

His work has focused on increasing health coverage opportunities for the millions of Latinos who could gain health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, as well as advancing options for the remaining uninsured.

The intersection of nutrition, hunger, and childhood obesity is another priority area for Lopez, given that Hispanic children are more likely than their peers to be overweight or obese. His current attention focuses most specifically on these two priorities.

Lopez holds master’s degrees in public policy and public health from the University of California at Berkeley and a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University.

As our Opening Keynote speaker, Steven Lopez will engage the conference attendees in a discussion of national immigration policies and the connection to Latino health disparities.

 

Immigration and Latino Health: 

The Journey Ahead

The 2016 LHEC will examine the unique health issues faced by Latino immigrant communities in the United States.  While conflict and poverty in the immigrants’ countries of origin are major reasons for crossing the border in the U.S., it is less clear what impact this trauma has on the health of immigrant communities.  Crossing without documents can produce long term health effects; even if documented, immigrants still face major political, cultural, and economic barriers that impact health.  We will explore these experiences in relation to age, gender, economics, language, and sociocultural traditions, focusing on how these factors affect health and healthcare delivery in the U.S.

Early Bird Registration will close April 15th! 

Please register early as space is limited.

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