SCRANTON -- Colorectal cancer is one of the most diagnosed cancers in our area and doctors say it becomes most dangerous when it's not detected.
A pharmacy in Scranton is trying to help customers keep track of their colorectal health.
Donna Crispino stopped into Andrew Brown's Pharmacy in south Scranton to pick up a prescription just as she has all her life. But this time took a minute longer walking out of the shop.
"I just came into get medicine and I saw it, and it's of interest to my family," Crispino said.
Crispino was one of several people who stopped to pick up a free colorectal cancer screening kit on display by the front door at Andrew Brown's. For Crispino it was a reminder and a time to reflect. Her husband died young of cancer and she recently lost a friend to colon cancer.
"Learning more and more about colon cancer and stuff is the best thing you can do. Most of our friends, now that you get into your 60s, your friends die off sooner than you want them to. There's several that have died of colon cancer."
The testing kit is free, private, and easy to use. All the instructions are in the envelope. Pharmacists say it's just the first step to see if you might need further screenings.
Doctors say colorectal cancer cases often go undetected until they've progressed to a dangerous point.
The folks at Andrew Brown's are taking part in a national program to hand out free screening kits but they know it's important here since colorectal cancer cases are higher in our area.
"It definitely is a reason to have it. It's a nationwide problem but in Wilkes-Barre Scranton, the rates are a lot higher here. We're just getting the word out," said Michael Brown at Andrew Brown's Pharmacy.
Brown says he hopes customers or passersby stop in to read up on colorectal cancer and pick up a kit. They have a few hundred kits to give out.