Colon Cancer Awareness

The Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department hosted a community health fair on Saturday at the Colony Square Mall.

Vendors were on site to educate the public on a variety of medical topics including colon cancer. The Cancer Concern Coalition of Morgan, Muskingum, and Perry Counties displayed a giant model of a human colon for people to walk through. Experts say colon cancer is cancer of the large intestine in the lower part of your digestive system.

"Colon cancer is actually one of the few cancers than can be prevented and also through the screenings tool, if you have a colonoscopy and they see that you have polyps, they can remove them and you’ve prevented the cancer from happening," said Leigh Anne Hehr from the Cancer Concern Coalition.

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of death among all cancers in the United States. Hehr said men and women over the age of 50 are recommended by the American Cancer Society to get a colonoscopy.

"It’s not scary, it’s not always something people like to talk about, but it’s something that really can save your life," she said.

If you were unable to make it out to the fair, it will pick back up on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

For more information you can visit: http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/ColonandRectumCancer/index