Kentucky will receive over two and a half million dollars in federal money to boost the number of colon cancer screenings. The grant program focuses on at risk people in Appalachia and Louisville.
The money comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Over the next five years, state health officials will use the funds to focus on improving screening rates and outcomes, in terms of incidence and mortality.
The plan brings together 16 partners including universities, advocacy groups, non-profits, and state government. Colon cancer screening rates are lower among African Americans, males, those with lower incomes and those with lower education levels.
Kentucky ranks first in the nation for cancer deaths with almost 95 hundred deaths each year. Governor Beshear’s Health Now initiative has set a goal of reducing cancer deaths by ten percent by 2019.?
