THUNDER BAY – HEALTH – It’s time for all Ontarians to increase their cancer IQ using a new online cancer risk assessment tool called My CancerIQ. In less than 10 minutes, Ontarians can find out their personal risks for breast, cervical, colorectal and lung cancers. In addition to knowing their risk of developing cancer, Ontarians can also learn personalized ways to prevent cancer.
Individuals who complete their My CancerIQ questionnaires receive a report that highlights their risk in comparison to Ontarians of the same sex who are 40 years and over. Furthermore, they receive personalized recommendations about lifestyle changes that they can make, including: diet, exercise, HPV vaccination and, where appropriate, cancer screening.
“What’s great about My CancerIQ is that the tool not only tells you what your risk is, it also tells you how you can decrease your risk. The prevention aspect is very important, and My CancerIQ brings it to the forefront,” says Kelly-Jo Gillis, Manager of Preventive Health Services at TBRHSC.
Cancer Care Ontario and Regional Cancer Care Northwest at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) are travelling across the Northwest to promote and show people this new tool. “In our region, cancer rates tend to be higher, screening rates tend to be lower and we aren’t doing as much prevention as we should at a personal level. Therefore, this tour across our region is a great way to raise awareness and, hopefully, stimulate more action,” added Gillis.
An interactive booth will be available to the public at the following locations:
April 27th: Kenora Recreation Centre from 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
April 28th: Fort Frances Wal-Mart from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
April 29th: Intercity Mall in Thunder Bay from 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm
April 30th: Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre from 10:00 am – 2:30 pm
May 1st: Pic River First Nation Health Fair from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
For more information or to complete the My CancerIQ cancer risk assessment tool , visit www.mycanceriq.ca.
