News release
Free cancer screenings will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 5, at First United Methodist Church, 305 W. Seventh.
The free cancer screenings are open to the public and hosted by Hays Masonic Lodge No. 195, Masonic Cancer Alliance and The University of Kansas Cancer Center. No appointments are necessary.
Lodge members and staff from MCA are teaming up with health professionals from the University of Kansas Medical Center to provide health services that include:
• Skin and Prostate Cancer Screenings
• Colon Cancer Take-Home Screening Kits
• Tobacco Cessation Information
• And More
Area Masons work with staff from the MCA, the outreach network of KU Cancer Center, and the Kansas Masonic Foundation to coordinate many of the free screening events that often draw several hundred attendees of all ages.
According to Brooke Groneman, MCA outreach director, over 20,000 Kansas residents have attended the screenings since 2003.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, approximately 9,500 Americans are diagnosed with some form of skin cancer every day, and nearly 250 of those are diagnosed with melanoma, the deadliest skin cancer.
The Centers for Disease Control reports that cancer is currently the second leading cause of death in Kansas, and the region has higher than average rates of skin cancer compared to other parts of the country.
When it comes to the possibility of cancer, it is always better to catch a potential problem in the earliest stage possible. Anyone identified with a possible health concern at one of the free cancer screenings is advised by the screening team to follow up with his/her local physician.
For more information, call Chris Neeley at 785-259-2067.