@ www.theotherpress.ca Nov. 14 to17 By Dylan Hackett, Staff Writer Wednesday, Nov. 14 Classes cancelled at New Westminster campus Due to BC Government and Service Employees’ Union job action taking place from 7 a.m. to 7 p-m., all classes and services at the New Westminster campus are cancelled for the day. The library will be closed, as well as the fitness centre, weight room and regis- trar’s office. The Training Group is not affected by the strike and David Lam Government encouraging province to get FIT New colorectal screening program unveiled By Eric Wilkins, Staff Writer L* week the BC government made the announcement that anew colorectal screen- ing program is to be brought into action next spring. Colorectal cancer (commonly known as bowel or colon cancer) takes the lives of over 1,000 British Columbians a year, and the new program seeks to reduce that figure significantly, especially amongst the aging population. The aim of the program is to try and catch signs such as pre-cancerous polyps or malignant tumours early on by employing a fecal immunochemical test, FIT, which can be campus will remain unaf- fected. The Wednesday evening performance of The Rez Sisters has also been canceled. Thursday, Nov. 15 Arts at One, 1-2 p.m. This week’s free Arts at One event is a Student Showcase Concert, free to all. Tomson Highway’s The Rez Sisters per- formance, 7:30 p.m. Douglas College's Theatre & Stagecraft departments present Cree playwright Tomson Highway’s The Rez Sister’s, a tale of seven women who struggle with life on a native reserve in North Ontario. The performance takes place at the Laura C. Muir Performing Arts Theatre at the New Westminster campus. Tickets are $8 for students and seniors and Dr. Max Coppes | Photo courtesy of www. becancerfoundation.com completed in the privacy of one’s own home before sending the samples to a lab for analysis. Adding 66 to the convenience of the test, neither diet nor medication changes are $12 for other adults and are available via Massey Theatre at 604-521-5050. Consciousness film screening, 7 p.m. The documentary film, Consciousness, follows the life of Dr. Ralph Arrowsmith, a psychia- trist with many connec- tions to Coquitlam’s Riverview Hospital, the infamous mental health facility open in 1913 and closed in the summer. The screen- ing is at David Lam campus in room A1470. Friday, Nov 16 Free bowling for international students, 3 p.m.-6:00 p.m. All international and ESL students are welcome to join the Douglas International at Lucky Strike Bowling Alley (1205 6 Avenue in New Westminster) for a required of the patient. Family doctors will refer those between the ages of 50 and 74 with no symptoms to a screening test every two years. Those who have a history of the cancer in their family will be referred to their regional health authority for a screening colonoscopy. Each test costs approximately $35, but the cost will be covered by the govern- ment. The fully-funded program is set to start on April 1, 2013 on Vancouver island, with other regions following. The program comes on the heels of a pilot project called Colon Check, which screened 08 group bowling session. Students can also meet at New Westminster SkyTrain Station at 2:30 p.m. to venture to the alley as a group. The Rez Sisters per- formance, 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $8 for stu- dents and seniors and $12 for other adults and are available via Massey Theatre at 604-521-5050. 15,000 people over the last three years. The results of the screen- ings were 45 cases of cancer and hundreds of pre-cancerous polyps. Dr. Max Coppes, president of the BC Cancer Agency com- mented on the program being taken, “As a province, we are known for excellence in cancer control. Early detection through screening saves lives. The announcement today of a provincial colorectal cancer screen- ing program is another important step forward for cancer care in BC. The program comes on the heels ofa pilot project called Colon Check, which screened 15,000 people over the last three years. This new screening program will improve early detection of cancer Saturday, Nov. 17 The Rez Sisters performance, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $8 for stu- dents and seniors and $12 for other adults and are available via Massey Theatre at 604-521-5050. If you would like your event to be listed here, email us at news@ theotherpress.ca and precancerous lesions, and as a direct result, decrease colorectal cancer mortality.” Minister of Health, Margaret MacDiarmid, spoke on the subject, saying, “This new program recognizes that family physicians are key influencers for patients in deciding to participate in cancer screening programs and physicians are also well equipped to speak to their patients about risk factors and prevention.” She also notes that there is no estimated cost for the project at present time: “We will be able to give a cost analysis retrospectively, but at this point it is not clear what it is going to be ... It’s unusual for govern- ment to not to have an estimate ... but what we've said here is we are going to fund the cost.”