If you are like most people, your idea of an enjoyable weekend is most likely not learning about the function of a colon. However, if you take a second look, you may be surprised to know how much of your health deals with the colon. That’s why Fight Cancer-Save Lives will have a display in the 4-H building at Trade Days this weekend that could save your life.

“The Ohio State University has purchased a model called ‘The Inflatable Colon,’ and it’s a demonstration of the different types of pathology that can happen in the colon,” Sharon Carver, of Fight Cancer-Save, Lives said. “It’s a walk-through model that is large enough that you can actually walk through it and identify certain areas of pathology so that there’s a better understanding of what happens when you become ill with this.”

The display is exactly what it sounds like.

“Actually it’s a blowup of your colon,” Gale Miller, Nurse Practitioner, with Compass Community Health Care, said. “You walk through it and the guides tell you about colonoscopy; tells you about polyps, and actually the virtual colon has lesions so you can see what they look like.”

Carver said the purpose is to encourage the preventive use of the colonoscopy because it not only identifies the pathology in the colon, but allows the surgeon to remove any polyps that might be cancerous in the future.

“It’s going to be a fun event,” Carver said. “We’re going to have a bunch of cheerleaders coming from Minford to help us, just to get people interested in seeing this and walking through and taking advantage of the information that we will be providing.”

There will be brochures available, but Carver said the invaluable part of the experience is the one-on-one information that will come from the people involved in the display.

“A lot of the information is just information that they will hear from the guides that will take them through the colon,” Carver said.

Who should have a colonoscopy?

“Anybody that is 50. That’s when you should begin your preventative screening for colons,” Carver said. “If you have a normal screening you usually don’t have to have it done for another 10 years unless you have certain risk factors like family members with polyps or a history of cancer of the colon.”

Is the colonoscopy covered by most insurance plans?

“It’s paid now by I believe all insurances,” Carver said. “It has always been paid by Medicare.”

The Inflatable Colon will be available to go through on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Inflatable Colon http://portsmouth-dailytimes.aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2016/06/web1_Colon-1.jpg The Inflatable Colon

By Frank Lewis flewis@civitasmedia.com

Reach Frank Lewis at 740-353-3101, ext. 1928, or on Twitter @franklewis.

Reach Frank Lewis at 740-353-3101, ext. 1928, or on Twitter @franklewis.