AURORA, Colo. -- The thought of a colonoscopy might make you uneasy. Knowing that colon cancer is the third most deadly cancer in Colorado may encourage you to think more seriously about scheduling an appointment for this test. It can find cancer before it even develops.

Women are diagnosed with colon cancer just as often as men, but they are less likely to be screened. Recent medical studies have determined this may be due to fear of embarrassment associated with seeing a male doctor.

In response to this fear, the University of Colorado Hospital is now offering a clinic for women only as an alternative to seeing a male doctor.

Dorothea Olkowski’s primary care physician has been recommending she have a colonoscopy for the past two years.

“Like most people I resisted for a while", said Olkowski.

It just wasn’t a priority for her. She had the obvious concerns about the test itself, but also about the doctor.

“My primary care physician is female, my dentist is a woman, and my eye doctor is a woman," said Olkowski.

She preferred a female physician, for comfort and her experience. “Because they are women, I believe they may have a better understanding of women’s bodies," Olkowski said.

Olkowski was one of the first to schedule an appointment at the new women-only clinic.

Dr. Aliya Hasan created the clinic. Describing what makes the clinic unique Hasan said, “There is guaranteed a female nurse, me, and a female environment."

Dr. Aliya Hasan is one of only a few female gastroenterologists in Colorado. By starting this clinic, she hopes to remove some of the anxiety women have about this procedure.

"I think the embarrassment comes from you think, 'oh what will the doctor think of me?' But, we don't think anything of you", said Hasan.

She is very candid about colonoscopies. Women need to have them because, she says, colon cancer can be a silent killer. It often has no symptoms.

“You can be fine and it’s this thing growing inside of you. You really don't know," said Hasan during a recent interview inside the new clinic.

Like so many cancers, early detection is the key for survival.

A colonoscopy can find polyps, or growths, in the colon before they become cancerous.

“Think about it if I find a polyp in a woman and I take it out and that was the kind that turned into cancer in a few years, I have saved her from having chemo, radiation, surgery. I saved her family from having to worry about what will happen to their mom, my wife. Just one 30 minute procedure did that," Dr. Hasan said.

Patients are given sedatives and often remember nothing about the test. Olkowski went one step further.

"She's such a pleasure," said Olkowski. "You almost think woohoo, this is fun,"

She recently scheduled an appointment at the Women-Only Clinic. Her news is good. There’s no cancer and no horror stories.

"In retrospect, I really don't know why I put it off. Knowing this, I wouldn't hesitate to do this again. It’s fine," said Olkowski.

With reviews like that, more women may put their health before their fears.

“It hopefully will break down that gender barrier where women can come in to this room feel comfortable feel like they're doing something good for themselves which they are because colon cancer is a totally preventable disease," said Hasan.

Right now, the Women-Only Clinic is scheduled on Monday mornings. To assist the most women in our area, Hasan tells us her staff is willing to accommodate most scheduling requests.

Additional Resource:

For more information on the Women-Only Clinic, go to WishForWomen.org.