PUEBLO — The Colorado State Fair had its first weekend opening and welcomed thousands of Coloradans to the fun.
While there was plenty of food, rides, and fun, one booth decided to focus on educating the public on preventative cancer screenings.
The Colorado Cancer Coalition partnered with 9Health to bring several local organizations and medical professionals to provide free cancer screenings to people walking by.
"Well it's a good opportunity to see a lot of people in a relaxed atmosphere", says Cliff Hatcher, a representative from AstraZeneca.
Advancements in science and therapy treatments have made going through the process of cancer much more safe, according to Hatcher.
"They're starting to be able to detect it earlier and treat it earlier, which leads to really good outcomes. Years ago, a diagnosis of lung cancer almost felt like a death sentence. That's not necessarily the case anymore", he continued.
At the cancer booth, there's an inflatable large pair of lungs and colon that show signs of cancer. Fair-goers can walk through the exhibit with a virtual reality tour that lets them learn more about some warning signs.
At the event was the Sun Bus, a non-profit traveling skincare clinic that helps screen patients across the country.
Today, Dr. Caitlin Robinson with Pueblo Dermatology was giving free screenings to people today when she found three cases of skin cancer.
"It feels pretty good to catch skin cancer in a population that is just stopping by our bus", said Robinson.
All of the patients seen today were sent to advanced clinics and are expected to have their cancerous spots completely removed.
"I think there's a eureka moment when you find a skin cancer, you know exactly how to treat it, you know you're going to benefit the patient by getting care for that", she continued.
If you want to learn more about being proactive with cancer care and screenings, you can visit the Colorado Cancer Coalition website.
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