Mary Bird Perkins’ Annual Live Well Event Welcomes Large Number of New Screening Participants

The Cancer Center’s annual cancer prevention, education and early detection event returned to downtown Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge, La. – Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center held its annual Live Well Baton Rouge on Saturday, May 4 along Spanish Town Road in front of the Louisiana State Capitol. The full‐scale screening event returned after a modified structure in 2021 due to COVID‐19. Nearly half of the participants attending the event had never been screened before for any type of cancer.

“We were so thrilled to welcome back a great crowd for this year’s Live Well Baton Rouge event,” said Heather Johnson, director, early detection and outreach, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center. “It was especially crucial to provide these preventative services this year after the pandemic forced many to put off their annual screenings.”

Screenings for breast, colorectal, prostate and skin cancers were available, in addition to biometric screenings and glucose tests provided by Baton Rouge General.

Among the participants who were screened at this event:

• Nearly 150 participants received a total of 260 total screenings, with 13 requiring additional
  patient navigation
• Nearly 48% of participants had never been screened for cancer previously
• More than 67% of participants were uninsured, while less than 14% had primary care physicians
• In addition to cancer screenings, 101 biometric screenings were performed, with 6 resulting in abnormal findings

Beyond cancer screenings, attendees enjoyed healthy food preparation and fitness demonstrations. Fresh produce bags, courtesy of Top Box Foods, were also available.

All cancer screenings were provided at no cost thanks to the generosity of community sponsors, including presenting sponsor, Karnival Krewe de Louisiane.

For more information on upcoming screening events, visit marybird.org/get‐screened.

About Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center
Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center is a regional cancer care organization that has been fighting cancer for more than 50 years. The cancer care organization provides care at eight centers in Baton Rouge, Covington, Hammond, Houma, Gonzales, and Natchez, Mississippi, and its service area encompasses southeast Louisiana and southwest Mississippi regions. Mary Bird Perkins has a strategic partnership
with OneOncology and the largest radiation and medical oncology groups from across the area including exclusive partnerships with Southeastern Louisiana Radiation Oncology Group, which provides radiation therapy throughout Mary Bird Perkins’ service areas, Northshore Oncology Associates, serving St. Tammany and Washington Parishes, specifically the communities of Covington and Slidell and Louisiana Hematology Oncology Associates, which services the Greater Baton Rouge area. For more information, please visit marybird.org