Colon cancer is the third leading cancer diagnosis for both men and women, and the second leading cancer killer in the United States. However, the death rate from colorectal cancer has been dropping in both men and women for several decades, likely because of early diagnosis through screenings.

In an effort to build awareness about colon cancer, Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center’s Loran Smith Center for Cancer Support is providing free community colon cancer screenings on Saturday, April 14 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Athens YMCA, located on 915 Hawthorne Avenue in Athens.

Those who attend will learn about the risk factors for colon cancer, ways to reduce risks and the effective screening tools that can detect colon cancer before it begins. Free screening kits will be available for those interested.

"Diagnosing colon cancer early is the most important thing a patient can do," April Dorsett, RN, community educator at Piedmont Athens Regional, said. "Unfortunately, however, most people are not aware of the disease's prevalence or the importance of getting screened regularly."

According to The American Cancer Society, there are a number of risk factors associated with colon and rectal cancer, including:

Some factors that you can’t change:

Being age 50 or older

Being African American

Having a personal or family history of polyps or colorectal cancer

Having a genetic syndrome (familial adenomatous polyposis – FAP)

Having a personal history of inflammatory bowel disease

Some things you can change:

Don’t Smoke

Maintain a healthy weight

Engage in physical activity (150 minutes a week of moderate activity)

“Education is key because knowing and understanding your risks for colon cancer can affect when you need to begin screening,” Dorsett, who helped coordinate Saturday’s event, said. “Regular colon cancer screening is one of the most powerful weapons for preventing colorectal cancer.”

Piedmont Athens Regional’s free colon cancer education and screening event will take place on Saturday, April 14 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Athens YMCA, located on Hawthorne Avenue.