Earlier this year, Bayhealth hosted its annual Colonoscopy Weekend at Bayhealth Hospital, Sussex Campus, providing critical preventive screenings to 36 community members who may otherwise have faced barriers to care. By offering appointments outside of normal weekday hours, the event helped remove common obstacles such as work schedules, caregiving responsibilities and limited availability, ensuring more people could access this lifesaving screening.
The weekend was made possible through the dedication of a multidisciplinary Bayhealth team, including colorectal surgeons, gastroenterologists, anesthesiologists, endoscopy professionals and support staff who volunteered their time to serve the community.
“We hear all the time from community members that they simply cannot spare time during regular working hours to schedule a colonoscopy, which can lead to them delaying or skipping screening altogether,” said Bayhealth Rectal Cancer Program Director and Colorectal Surgeon Assar Rather, MD. “Through this event, we were able to provide 36 individuals with potentially life-saving preventive screenings and help raise awareness about the importance of regular colonoscopies.
Colonoscopy screenings play a vital role in preventing colorectal cancer by identifying and removing precancerous polyps before they develop into cancer. A screening colonoscopy is a preventive procedure that allows doctors to examine the colon and rectum for polyps or early signs of colorectal cancer before symptoms develop. During the procedure, doctors can remove polyps, small growths that can sometimes turn into cancer, making colonoscopy both a screening and preventive tool.
Of the 36 patients served, 16 completed their first colonoscopy screening.
Events like Colonoscopy Weekend demonstrate Bayhealth’s ongoing commitment to compassionate care, prevention and improving access to essential health services for the communities it serves.
Take the next step for your health. Community members who are age 45 or older, or younger individuals experiencing symptoms, are encouraged to get screened. To learn more and schedule, contact Bayhealth’s Colorectal Cancer Nurse Navigator, Judy Giddens, LPN, by calling 302-744-6098.
