What is Screen to Save?
- Screen to Save is an initiative started by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The goal is to work with cancer centers such as Huntsman Cancer institute (HCI) to provide colorectal cancer education to people in their community.
- HCI’s Screen to Save program focuses on improving early screening rates and health outcomes for people in rural areas and the Pacific Islander community.
- Screen to Save gives information about where and how to get screened for colorectal cancer, including free at-home colorectal cancer screening kits to Pacific Islanders and rural residents who are 45-75 years old and at average risk of colorectal cancer.
- HCI has the only community health educator involved with the Screen to Save program in the Mountain West region. That includes Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming.
I am a Pacific Islander. Why should I get involved with the S2S Program?
The Pacific Islander community has the highest incidence and mortality rates of colorectal cancer compared to all other racial groups in Utah. This means Pacific Islanders get colon cancer and die from colon cancer more often than other groups.
The Pacific Islander community also has low screening rates (62.3%) compared to the state average (70.7%). Due to low screening rates, Pacific Islanders are not diagnosed with colorectal cancer at early stages, when it is easier to treat. Screening is the best way to find cancer in its early stages.
As someone who lives in a rural community, why should I get involved with S2S program?
Residents of rural areas are at a greater risk of early onset colorectal cancer than those in urban areas. According to study results published in Cancer, early onset colorectal cancer cases increased 35% among rural populations, from 2000 to 2016.
Colorectal cancer is very aggressive, so catching it early is extremely important.
How can I get involved?
Visit our colorectal cancer education website to participate.
The Utah Pacific Islander Health Coalition and Pacific Islander Knowledge 2 Action Resources (PIK2AR) both support the Screen to Share program. The Screen to Save program is housed at several clinics, including the Maliheh Free Clinic in Salt Lake City and the Stansbury Health Center in Tooele.
We also love to collaborate! If you are part of an organization that would like to participate, contact Nathaniel Ferre at HCI for more information.
You can also visit our community engagement page to contact our community outreach and prevention education team.
Nathaniel Ferre is the Community Health Educator who leads HCI's Screen to Save project