Reminder: Easy, accessible colon cancer screening available via CHL, Cologuard 

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month is observed every year during March and aims to promote screening and early detection, raise awareness, and offer support to those battling the disease. Since March of 2020, the Center for Healthy Living (CHL), in conjunction with Cologuard and Exact Sciences, has offered a noninvasive stool-based test that detects blood and abnormal DNA associated with colon cancer and precancer to help make colon cancer screening as easy as possible for Purdue’s eligible population. Note:To utilize the Cologuard screening via the CHL, individuals do not have to be established patients at any of the CHL locations.

Consider these facts and stats from Fight Colorectal Cancer and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• The American Cancer Society recommends that screening should begin at age 45
• About 1 in 23 men and 1 in 26 women will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer
• Half of adults ages 45-75 are not getting screened as recommended 
• More than 20 million Americans eligible for colorectal cancer screening have not been screened
• There are more than 20 million colorectal cancer survivors in the U.S.

Colorectal screening rates for Purdue employees have steadily increased from 49% in 2020, when the CHL began its Cologuard campaign, to 68% in 2024.

Covered by Purdue’s health plans, Cologuard screening supports the financial wellness and physical health pillars of the Healthy Boiler Wellness Program and is open to all qualifying benefits-eligible Purdue employees on the West Lafayette, Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and Northwest locations  and spouses covered on a Purdue health plan.

Keep in mind Cologuard is not intended for high-risk individuals and participants must:

• Be older than 45 years old
• Be younger than 85 years old
• Not have personal or family history of colon cancer
• Not have personal history of inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis or colonic polyps
• Not have completed a Cologuard screening within the past three years
• Not have had a colonoscopy in the last 10 years

After reviewing the above restrictions, the next step in the process is for employees and/or covered spouses to complete a prescreening questionnaire, which is available here and on the Healthy Boiler Portal. After completing and submitting the questionnaire, there are only a few more steps:

• CHL staff will reach out following questionnaire completion to schedule an appointment.
• After the appointment at the CHL, a Cologuard kit will be delivered to the patient’s home.
• The patient completes and returns the Cologuard kit to Cologuard/Exact Sciences in a prepaid envelope via US mail. 
• Results will be delivered to the CHL.
• CHL staff will schedule a follow-up appointment to discuss results and next steps.

Earn Healthy Boiler incentive dollars

As a reminder, colorectal screenings and colonoscopies are included in the 2025 Healthy Boiler Wellness incentives as one of the optional screenings. Therefore, those who get a colorectal screening or colonoscopy — either through this program or at another time in 2025 — are eligible for additional incentive dollars. Individuals who are 45 or older will see “colonoscopy” as a challenge in the portal and can certify once they’ve completed the screening to earn the incentives. More information on how to earn incentives via the Healthy Boiler Program is available here.

Questions

For more information, visit the “Screening for colon cancer with Cologuard” webpage, the Cologuard webpage or call the CHL at 765-494-0111.