OREANDA-NEWS. Providers from Missouri Cancer Associates (MCA) and Urology Associates of Central Missouri (UACM), practices in The US Oncology Network, will be among the featured speakers providing information about cancer prevention and offering free cancer screenings at Boone Hospital Center’s upcoming Cancer Fair. The Cancer Fair, which is free of charge and open to the public, will be held on Saturday, April 30, 2016, from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm in the main lobby of Boone Hospital Center in Columbia.

“We strive to contribute to the local community through education and public outreach by participating in local events like the Cancer Fair,” said Gregory Biedermann, M.D., radiation oncologist at Missouri Cancer Associates and a featured speaker at the Fair. “Finding cancer early gives patients the best chance for a good outcome, so it is important to do these screening events and have discussions about cancer prevention to raise awareness about this potentially deadly disease that touches so many people in our area.”

Presentations begin at 9:00 am with Gloria Drouin, a nurse practitioner with Missouri Cancer Associates, who will present information about breast and testicular cancer. Drouin has been a nurse practitioner for the past 18 years and has extensive experience in cancer. Her presentation will be followed by Dr. Biedermann’s at 9:30 am. He will discuss radiation therapy and new technologies. Dr. Biedermann has ten years of diverse experience in radiation oncology treating a wide range of cancers. At 10:00 am, Michael Hoeh, M.D., urologist with Urology Associates of Central Missouri, will discuss prostate screening and education. Dr. Hoeh has extensive training in minimally invasive surgery and is well versed in the latest advances in urologic cancers. A question and answer session will be held after the presentations.

In addition to Dr. Hoeh’s talk, Urology Associates of Central Missouri will also be offering free prostate cancer screenings for men over the age of 50, including free PSA blood tests that can detect prostate cancer early. No reservation is needed. Other healthcare professionals will be providing free skin cancer screening and pulmonary function testing, as well as presenting information on lung cancer screenings and smoking cessation. Staff will also be available to assist in scheduling mammograms and colon screenings. To help the public better understand the importance of colon screenings, an inflatable walk-through colon will be on display.

“We encourage everyone to attend the Cancer Fair to learn more about cancer prevention and screening tests,” said Dr. Hoeh. “There are some lifestyle changes people can make that will significantly reduce their risk of getting the disease, and events like the Cancer Fair help spread the word that we can be proactive and reduce our cancer risk.”

About Missouri Cancer Associates and Urology Associates of Central Missouri

Missouri Cancer Associates (MCA) is the largest oncology group in mid-Missouri and offers patients advanced comprehensive care from their new state-of-the-art facility in Columbia, as well as a treatment center in Kirksville. MCA has 16 cancer physicians on staff and offers a full range of hematologic care, chemotherapy and radiation services, laboratory and diagnostic testing delivered by compassionate, caring professionals dedicated to helping patients achieve optimal outcomes. The practice prides itself in offering the latest technologies to diagnose and treat cancer, including PET/CT and a full range of advanced radiation therapies. In 2014, Urology Associates of Central Missouri, a leading provider of urology services in the region, joined MCA, adding eight highly credentialed and experienced urologists to the practice. Urology Associates of Central Missouri offers the very latest treatment options and technologies, such as robotic and minimally invasive surgery. The practice is committed to providing compassionate, quality, state-of-the-art urological care in a prompt and courteous manner.