TAHOE/TRUCKEE, Calif. — In honor of March as National Colorectal Awareness Month, gastroenterology specialist Dr. Charles Zipkin from Tahoe Forest Health System (TFHS), will present two free talks about how to reduce the risk of colon cancer. Both presentations are on Wednesday, March 27. A noon brown bag lunch session will be held at Incline Village Community Hospital at 880 Alder Ave., Incline Village, Nev. An evening presentation starts at 5:30 p.m. at the Tahoe Center for Health and Sports Performance, located at 10710 Donner Pass Road in Truckee.

Dr. Zipkin’s presentations will outline preventative care, discuss the importance of a healthy lifestyle and explain how screening tests can find pre-cancerous polyps, so they can be removed before they become cancerous. Then there will be a question and answer session.

“As many as 60 percent of colorectal cancer deaths could be avoided if those aged 50-years-old or older were screened regularly,” said Chris Spencer, FNP-C, community health director, Tahoe Forest Health System. “By offering presentations from Dr. Zipkin, this is one way for us to give our community the most current information about colorectal cancer.”

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Tahoe Forest Health System is also offering in March free fecal occult blood screens for anyone age 50 or older. The test cards along with full instructions on how to complete the test can be picked up at the Tahoe Center for Health and Sports Performance or at Incline Village Community Hospital, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Test cards should be returned to these locations for processing. Results will be sent in the mail with follow up information.

Men and women are advised to begin colorectal cancer screening at the age of 50. Screenings should continue at regular intervals determined by a healthcare professional. Earlier screening is recommended if a close relative had colorectal polyps or colorectal cancer, or if one has inflammatory bowel disease. Screening is recommended until the age of 75. Cancer of the colon or rectum affects both men and women and is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. The risk of developing colorectal cancer increases with advancing age. More than 90 percent of cases occurring in people 50 years of age or older.

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Board certified in gastroenterology, Dr. Zipkin completed his medical education at the University of California, Irvine with fellowship training at the University of California, San Francisco. He joined Tahoe Forest multi-specialty clinic in 2007.

For more information contact the Tahoe Center for Health and Sports Performance at 530-587-3769.

For more information about Tahoe Forest Health System, visit http://www.tfhd.com.

About Tahoe Forest Health System

Tahoe Forest Health System (TFHS), a not for profit rural health care facility located in Truckee, and is one of the top 100 critical care access hospitals in the United States. TFHS is committed to excellence in patient care. Through community support, the new Tahoe Forest Cancer Center is a proud affiliate of the UC Davis Cancer Network, an organization that unites five hospital-based cancer centers for the purpose of delivering high quality cancer care in rural settings. The Hospital is fully accredited by the Healthcare Accreditation Facilities Program and licensed by the State of California Department of Health Services. Their vision: “To be the best mountain community health system in the nation.”