Last year, more than 49,000 people died from colorectal cancer. Other than skin cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer found in American men and women. The risk of a person having colorectal cancer in their lifetime is about 1 in 19,according to information from the American Cancer Society. In North Carolina, there were 7,540 deaths due to colorectal cancer, which includes 99 deaths in Nash County, 66 in Halifax County, and 65 in Edgecombe County, according to the state's Department of Health and Human Services.

But there is good news: the death rate from colorectal cancer has been decreasing for the past 15 years, and one of the reasons is that, when discovered early, colorectal cancer is treatable and beatable.

March is designated colorectal cancer awareness month, and in observance, Nash Health Care will offer FREE colorectal cancer screening kits to the community. Test kits are available to anyone in the community age 45-75, and will be available for pick-up throughout the month of March. Simply follow the directions on the kit, then mail the kit-return postage is provided-by April 15. Kits will be analyzed at the Nash Health Care lab and results will be mailed to participants.

Test kits are available at the following pick up sites:

Nash Cancer Treatment Center - Nash Day Hospital
Kits available:
7:30am - 4:00pm M - F

HealthFirst Wellness Center - Community Medical Plaza
1051 Noell Lane (enter through entrance on Target side of the building)

Kits available:
6:00am - 8:00pm M - Th;
6:00am - 5:00pm, Friday;
8:am - 2:00pm, Saturday

If you have questions, you may call the HealthFirst Wellness Center at 962-3466 or the Cancer Treatment Center - 962-8947.