During April, Bayhealth hosted its annual colonoscopy weekend screenings at Bayhealth Hospital Sussex Campus, providing critical preventive screenings to  community members who might 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 the 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 Assar Rather, MD, Bayhealth Rectal Cancer Program director and colorectal surgeon. “Through this event, we were able to provide 36 individuals with potentially lifesaving 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.

Community members who are age 45 or older, or younger individuals experiencing symptoms, are encouraged to get screened.