The Parish Nurse ministry at Prince of Peace helps to care for one another by attaining, maintaining and regaining the best possible whole person's wellness of body, mind and spirit. The role of the Parish Nurse is a health counselor, referral source, and an advocate for an individual. The Parish Nurse is a blend of professional nursing and spiritual caregiving. The Parish Nurse visits members at the church and in their homes or care facilities.
Mary Hume was commissioned as the first Parish Nurse of Prince of Peace in July, 1999.
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States, behind only lung cancer. The National Cancer Institute estimates that 153,020 people in the United States received a diagnosis colon or rectal cancer in 2023. Approximately 52,550 died of it.
Colorectal cancer awareness is important because many cases of cancer of the colon or rectum are preventable. Screening by colonoscopy can prevent this cancer because precancerous polyps found during the procedure can be removed at the same time. Furthermore, colonoscopy can also detect the cancer at early stages, when treatment is more likely to be successful.
The five-year relative survival rate for cancer localized to the colon or rectum is 90.9 percent, according to the National Cancer Institute. The survival rate drops significantly as the cancer spreads beyond those organs.
Cancer of the colon or rectum is more common in men than women. It is also more common among African Americans than people of other races. The median age of diagnosis in the United States is 66 years, while about 78 percent of newly diagnosed patients are aged 55 and older.
If you have not had a colonoscopy in the last 5 years, take your doctor’s advice and schedule it for this year.