At age 67, Bridget Brown has a simple message: Don’t wait when it comes to your health, and take advantage of opportunities that make screening easy and accessible.
Brown always has been proactive about her health, staying up to date with recommended screenings. So when her goddaughter mentioned a community screening event hosted by the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center, she decided to stop by.
At the event, she was offered a free at-home colorectal cancer screening test, a FIT kit, to take with her. “I thought, why not?” she said. FIT (fecal immunochemical test) detects blood in the stool, which can be an early sign of colorectal cancer or other conditions.
She brought the kit home and set it aside for about a week before completing it.
“The test was not difficult at all,” she said. “It was very simple and self-explanatory. Some people feel uncomfortable about it, but you’re just collecting a small sample. It’s quick, easy, and you can do it on your own time.”
After mailing it back, she was surprised by how quickly everything moved.
Within a short time, she received her results and was notified that follow-up care was recommended. Her care team quickly helped coordinate the next steps, making the process feel seamless and supported.
During her follow-up colonoscopy, a precancerous polyp was found and removed.
“You might not see anything or feel anything,” Brown said. “That’s why doing the test and following recommended screening guidelines is so important. It can catch something early, before it becomes serious.”
Her experience highlights how community screening events can remove barriers and make it easier for people to take action.
She also points to something else that made a difference — awareness.
“I think more people would do it if they knew about these events,” she said. “If I hadn’t heard about it from my goddaughter, I might not have gone.”
For Brown, one such event became a turning point.
“Through its community outreach and engagement efforts, the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center brings care directly into neighborhoods — through health fairs, local events and trusted community spaces. These initiatives make screening more accessible, less intimidating and easier to act on,” said Rachael Schmidt, assistant director for cancer education and screening with the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center’s Office of Community Outreach and Engagement.
Cancer screening and education events are hosted by the center throughout the year, helping more individuals take proactive steps toward their health.
Visit the community events calendar at this link to learn about upcoming cancer education and screening events. The events calendar gives community members an at-a-glance view of upcoming screening events. Paired with the new interactive events map, community members can search for events by location, making it easy to find the closest cancer-related event hosted by the cancer center, no matter where they live.
The Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center is one of only 74 cancer centers in the United States and the only one in Nebraska to receive designation from the National Cancer Institute, a distinction that recognizes excellence in research, patient care, education and training, and community outreach.