There was an information stand on the detection of colon cancer at the weekly market. — © svov
The City of Dendermonde, Logo Dender and az Sint-Blasius join forces to inform the population about bowel cancer screening. They set up a campaign with the traditional figures from the Ros Beiaardommegang such as Kalleke Step and the knaptanden.
Steve Van Overstraeten
The bowel cancer screening program invites all men and women aged 50 to 74 every two years to take a bowel movement test. A laboratory examines whether the stool sample contains traces of blood. Too much blood in the stool can indicate colorectal cancer or polyps, which are the precursors of colorectal cancer. These polyps can be removed before cancer cells form. The sooner colon cancer is detected, the better the outlook. And that is why Sint-Blasius hospital and the city are working together to get more people to do the research.
“Early detection has some important advantages, because the disease or the risk of it is detected earlier, complications or more serious treatment can be avoided and the chance of a complete cure is greater,” says Dominique Potteau of AZ Sint-Blasius. “In our region, about 63 percent of all invited people took part in the survey last year. With our actions we would like to increase this percentage considerably.”
Dendermonde figures
That is why a special campaign has been developed in which Dendermonde figures such as a painer, a snap tooth and Kalleke Step call for participation in the population study. “We placed an information stand at the Monday market, with an inflatable colon and information about the population study. A doctor and a nurse from the gastroenterology department of az Sint-Blasius were present, together with the prevention service of our city,” says Alderman Tomas Roggeman (N-VA). “And there is a continuous information stand in the library.”
On Wednesday 29 March, the gastroenterology department will hold an information evening with a guided tour in Sint-Blasius. “What is Colorectal Cancer? What are the symptoms? How can it be detected early? Can you prevent it? How does the population screening work? What alarm signals are there with polyps or colon cancer? How is a colonoscopy done? Questions that are then answered,” concludes Dominique Potteau.