LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Munching a funnel cake or careening down a roller coaster track may not seem to have anything in common with getting screened for cancer – but they do.
All are featured again this year at the Kentucky State Fair, Aug. 16-26, at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville.
The Kentucky Cancer Program at UofL is teaming up with the UofL School of Dentistry, University Hospital, the James Graham Brown Cancer Center at UofL, the Kentucky Dermatological Association and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield to offer free cancer screenings and educational exhibits.
The oral cancer screening program at the fair is commemorating its 20th anniversary in 2012. Dental school faculty and students will provide oral cancer screenings Aug. 17, Aug. 18, Aug. 19, Aug. 21, Aug. 22 and Aug. 25. Skin screenings provided by members of the dermatological association will be offered each day of the fair. Hours vary, so fairgoers should check the schedule below for information. All screenings will be offered at the Kentucky Cancer Program booth in the Health Horizons area of South Wing B.
The hospital and cancer center are partnering with the Kentucky Cancer Program to bring the “Incredible Colon” to fairgoers. The Incredible Colon is a 20-foot long, 10-foot tall, walk-through replica of the human colon that educates the public about colorectal cancer. It includes examples of healthy colon tissue, several non-cancerous diseases of the colon, polyps and various stages of colorectal cancer. The Incredible Colon will be open 9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. each day of the fair, and Colon Cancer Awareness Day with Madeline Abramson, wife of Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson, will be held on Senior Day at the fair, Tuesday, Aug. 21. The Incredible Colon also will be located in the Health Horizons area in South Wing B.
The Kentucky Cancer Program also will have a “Horses and Hope” booth with educational materials on breast cancer and mammography and Horses and Hope merchandise for sale. A breast cancer initiative of Kentucky First Lady Jane Beshear and the Kentucky Cancer Program, Horses and Hope educates, improves awareness and offers screenings for members of Kentucky’s horse industry. There are over 80,000 equine-related employees across Kentucky, many of whom are uninsured or underinsured, and Horses and Hope provides free, much-needed cancer screenings and awareness programs to them. Sale of Horses and Hope merchandise will help fund these efforts. The Horses and Hope booth will be open 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m., Aug. 16-25, in the North Wing Equine Exhibit Hall.
For information on cancer awareness programs and screenings at the Kentucky State Fair, contact the Kentucky Cancer Program at 502-852-6318.
Kentucky Cancer Program Skin and Oral Cancer Screening Schedule
Kentucky State Fair, Aug. 16–26, 2012
| Date | 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. | 1 p.m.–4 p.m. | 4:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, Aug. 16 | Education | Skin Screenings | Skin Screenings |
| Friday, Aug. 17 | Skin Screenings | Skin Screenings | Oral Screenings |
| Saturday, Aug. 18 | Oral Screening | Skin Screenings | Skin Screenings |
| 20th anniversary celebration | |||
| Sunday, Aug. 19 | Skin Screenings | Skin Screenings | Oral Screenings |
| Monday, Aug. 20 | Skin Screenings | Skin Screenings | Skin Screenings |
| Tuesday, Aug. 21 | Skin Screenings | Skin Screenings | Oral Screenings 5 p.m.–7 p.m. |
| Wednesday, Aug. 22 | Skin Screenings | Skin Screenings | Oral Screenings 5 p.m.–7 p.m. |
| Thursday, Aug. 23 | Skin Screenings | Skin Screenings | Skin Screenings |
| Friday, Aug. 24 | Skin Screenings | Skin Screenings | Skin Screenings |
| Saturday, Aug. 25 | Skin Screenings | Skin Screenings | Oral Screenings |
| Sunday, Aug. 26 | Skin Screenings | Skin Screenings | Education |