MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH
March 2, 2004
The Cecil County Board of Health met in the County Commissioner’s Board Room 107 North Street, Elkton, Maryland on Tuesday, March 2, 2004. The following members of the Board were present:
Nelson K. Bolender, President
Phyllis Kilby, Vice President
Harry A. Hepbron, Commissioner
William C. Manlove, Commissioner
Mark H. Guns, Commissioner
Dr. Virginia Bailey
Constituting a full Board.
Dr. Bailey advised the Board that the month of March is National Colorectal Awareness Month. Funds obtained through the Tobacco Restitution Fund are allocated for cancer awareness programs. The Department of Mental Health and Hygiene and Cecil County Health Department through their local coalition, have worked together to establish cancer awareness programs such as the Colorectal Screening Program. Through mailings, billboards and outreach programs the awareness of colorectal cancer is being conveyed to the citizens of Cecil County. The number of colon screenings completed at Union Hospital has increased from 750 in FY 00 to 1,889 at the end of last year. Dr. Bailey attributes this increase directly to the awareness programs being conducted by the Cancer Task Force.
Kim Osborne from the Cecil County Health Department explained some of the current projects being provided this month in observance of Colorectal Awareness Month. The projects include models of a colon and informational items displayed at all seven branches of the Cecil County Public Library; updates for Health Care Providers relating to the latest technology and information pertaining to colorectal cancer and screenings; one on one educational counseling and outreach training.
Dr. Bailey introduced Mary Maloney, who spoke on behalf of the Cecil County Health Department’s Awareness Program and how the program prompted her to get a colon screening and her results and experience with colon cancer.