The Ashland County Health and Wellness Target Action Group (TAG) is hosting an expert panel discussion featuring colorectal (colon) cancer. The panel discussion will be held on Tuesday, March 18, 2025 at 6 p.m. at University Hospitals Samaritan on Main, 663 East Main Street, Ashland.
“Ashland County’s 2023-2025 Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) identified colorectal cancer incidence rates as an area of concern,” explained Jenna Gerwig, BSN, RN, the director of nursing at the Ashland County Health Department and chairperson of the Health and Wellness TAG. “We want to give Ashland County residents an opportunity to ask medical professionals questions, hear from a cancer survivor, and learn about services available to residents undergoing cancer treatment.”
Data from the most recent National Cancer Institute measurement period of 2018-2022 reflects the following deaths/100,000 population for colorectal cancer: 18 for Ashland County; 13.9 for Ohio; and 12.9 for the United States. The Healthy People Target is 8.9 deaths/100,000. When the 2023-2025 Ashland County CHIP was compiled, the 2016-2020 National Cancer Institute data was the most current at that time. The 2016-2020 data documented an even larger gap, with Ashland County coming in at 23.3 deaths/100,000 population; 14.5 for Ohio; and 13.3 for the United States.
Panelists for the March 18th discussion include: Angela Woodward, Executive Director of the Ashland County Cancer Association; University Hospitals’ doctors Mehrdad Tavallaee, MD and Megan Sippey, MD; Christina Spring, CNP with Ashland Mobile Med; and other subject matter experts from OhioHealth and University Hospitals.
Participating partners of the Ashland County Health and Wellness TAG include: Alzheimer’s Association; Appleseed Community mental Health Center; Ashland Christian Health Center; Ashland County Cancer Association; Ashland County Council on Aging; Ashland County Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse; Ashland County Health Department; Ashland Health & Mental Wellness Center; Ashland MobileMed; The Ashland Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center; Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland; OhioHealth; United Way of Ashland County; Third Street Family Health Services; University Hospitals Samaritan Medical Center.
