Hundreds attend Hayward Colon Cancer Awareness Event

HAYWARD, Calif. – On Saturday, Nov 5, about one thousand people attended a free health education and colon cancer screening event the Southland Mall in Hayward, as part of a national campaign to prevent colon cancer and promote screening.

The Susan Cohan Colon Cancer Foundation ("Susie’s Cause") partnered with Kaiser Permanente Southern Alameda County to provide the local East Bay community a free day of overall health education—with a particular emphasis on colorectal cancer screening and prevention—alongside live performances from area entertainers. Free flu shots were also distributed to attendees.

"Colon-cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States, but it is treatable or even preventable if caught early. It’s important to know the screening options and to discuss them with your doctor or a health care professional, which is why we’re going out into the community to raise awareness," said Dr. Akhil Wadhera of Kaiser Permanente’s Fremont Medical Center, the Chair of Kaiser Permanente’s Commission on Cancer Committee for the Southern Alameda County area.

In addition to learning about colon cancer, collecting an at-home colon cancer screening kit, and receiving health checkups, 139 attendees obtained a free flu vaccination to protect them in the coming flu season.

Bertha from Hayward receives a free flu vaccination at the Susie's Cause event.

The Hayward Outreach Health Festival was the ninth stop of a 10-city health festival tour organized by Susie’s Cause, a Baltimore-based national nonprofit organization dedicated to colon cancer prevention, treatment, and support services.

The festivals are designed to provide colon cancer education to underserved communities where colon cancer diagnoses and deaths occur at an alarmingly high rate in part because of lack of access to early screening. Research has shown that early detection and treatment of colon cancer cuts the death rate significantly, and screening can prevent colon cancer.

"Tragically, 50% of colon cancer cases could be prevented by simple lifestyle changes and 90% or more cured if detected early," said Susie's Cause founder and president David Rodman Cohan. "Susie's Cause advocates for colon cancer prevention, support and treatment. We are proud to partner with Kaiser Permanente here in Hayward to educate people of all ages, encourage prevention and increase screenings, and therefore prevent unnecessary suffering and deaths from colon cancer."

Jo-Ann Griffin, Senior Vice President and Area Manager of Kaiser Permanente in Greater Southern Alameda County, said the event represents Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to community health. "We are excited to partner with Susie's Cause to raise awareness about colon cancer and the importance of screening. It's events like this, out in the community, that allow us to reach beyond our walls and help improve the health of the entire community that we serve."

To help attendees visually understand colon cancer, an inflatable, walk-through model of a colon provided examples of malignant and precancerous lesions. The festival’s live entertainment included Amazing Mingle Magic with Philip & Henry, flamenco guitarist David McLean, and Side Note a cappella group. Children's face-painting created a family-friendly atmosphere and many attendees brought their relatives and friends.

Top photo caption: Terecita from Hayward came with her parents to the Southland Mall for health screenings.on November 5.

About Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve more than 10.6 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to: kp.org

About Susie’s Cause

The Susan Cohan Colon Cancer Foundation Inc. ("Susie’s Cause") has broken the silence about colorectal cancer and worked tirelessly to establish itself as the national grassroots voice championing the critical importance of early screening and detection, healthy living, and aggressive therapeutic intervention in preventing and treating this disease. Also dedicated to funding critical research, Susie’s Cause has raised and donated more than $500,000 to the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, while carving out a special niche with its focus on bringing colon cancer and overall health and wellness education to underserved communities throughout the country. Formally established in 2005 and headquartered in Baltimore, Susie’s Cause is a 501(c)(3) charity with a current affiliate in North Carolina and plans for further expansion. To learn more, go online to www.coloncancerfoundation.org, or call 410-244-1778.