Cologuard campaign via Center for Healthy Living makes colon cancer screening easy, accessible

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month is observed annually in March and aims to promote screening and early detection, raise awareness, and offer support to those battling the disease. As it has done since 2020, the Center for Healthy Living, in conjunction with Cologuard and Exact Sciences, is offering a noninvasive stool-based test that detects blood and abnormal DNA associated with colon cancer and precancer. Note:To utilize the Cologuard screening via the CHL, individuals do not have to be established patients with providers at any of the CHL locations.

Colorectal screening rates for Purdue employees have steadily increased from 49% in 2020 — when the CHL began offering Cologuard — to 68% in 2024.

“This is the sixth year that Purdue has offered the Cologuard screening via the CHL, and to date, the increase in our screening rates year after year is a testament to this program,” said Candace Shaffer, associate vice president of benefits and payroll in Human Resources. “Human Resources — Benefits and the CHL remain committed to helping make colon cancer screening easy and accessible to Purdue employees, and our continued collaboration with Cologuard allows us to fulfill that commitment. The Cologuard campaign also provides the opportunity to offer an additional preventive screening to our population, which can help them earn additional incentives via the Healthy Boiler Wellness Program.”

Covered by Purdue’s health plans, Cologuard screening supports the financial wellness and physical health pillars of the Healthy Boiler Wellness Program and is open to all qualifying benefits-eligible Purdue employees on the West Lafayette, Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and Northwest campuses as well as spouses covered on a Purdue health plan.

Keep in mind Cologuard is not intended for high-risk individuals, and participants must:

• Be older than 45 years old
• Be younger than 85 years old
• Not have personal or family history of colon cancer
• Not have personal history of inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis or colonic polyps
• Not have completed a Cologuard screening within the past three years
• Not have had a colonoscopy in the last 10 years

After reviewing the above restrictions, the next step in the process is for employees and/or covered spouses to complete a prescreening questionnaire, which is available here and on the Healthy Boiler Portal. Following the questionnaire completion and submission, there are only a few more steps:

• CHL staff will reach out following questionnaire completion to schedule an appointment.
• After the appointment at the CHL, a Cologuard kit will be delivered to the patient’s home.
• The patient completes and returns the Cologuard kit to Cologuard/Exact Sciences in a prepaid envelope via U.S. mail. 
• Results will be delivered to the CHL.
• CHL staff will schedule a follow-up appointment to discuss results and next steps.

“Screening is the best way to prevent colon cancer,” Shaffer says. “And we hope that our Purdue community will take advantage of this campaign to learn where they stand in regard to their colon health. With overall health and wellness as a focal point at the university, we would very much like to see a continued increase in the percentage of Purdue employees who are 45 years and older have some type of colon cancer screening (colonoscopy, fecal occulant test or Cologuard).”

CHL staff members will address any questions or concerns employees might have, including helping those who don’t fit the Cologuard screening requirements find other options as well as helping those who do utilize Cologuard plan for what’s next based on their results.

Earn Healthy Boiler incentive dollars

As a reminder, colorectal screenings and colonoscopies are included in the 2025 Healthy Boiler Wellness incentives as one of the optional screenings. Therefore, those who get a colorectal screening or colonoscopy — either through this program or at another time in 2025 — are eligible for additional incentive dollars. Individuals who are 45 or older will see “colonoscopy” as a challenge in the portal and can certify once they’ve completed the screening to earn the incentives. More information on how to earn incentives via the Healthy Boiler Program is available here.

Questions

For more information, visit the “Screening for colon cancer with Cologuard” webpage and the Cologuard webpage or call the CHL at 765-494-0111.