Scope It Out Run/Walk for for Colon Cancer Awareness

• Third Annual Scope It Out 5K Run/Walk for Colon Cancer Awareness
• Saturday, March 24, 2007
• 8:30 a.m.
• Potomac Park
• Washington D.C.
• Register for Run or Walk
• You must register before race day!

Posted by Kate Murphy on March 18th, 2007
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | 1 Comment »

Use the Phone on March 20 to Help Those Going to Capitol Hill

March 20, colon and rectal cancer advocates from around the country will be be on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC as a part of Call-on Congress. Those not making Congressional office visits can still get on the phone to Capitol Hill.

We want you to make three short phone calls — one to each Senator’s office and one to your Representative’s office — sometime between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday, March 20. It’s not hard — and it can make a world of difference for colorectal cancer research and screening funding. In other words, your call will help to save lives!

Below are step-by-step instructions and a script for what to say on March 20…

First, phone 1-202-224-3121. This is the Capitol Switchboard number for all Senate and House offices. Ask to be connected to Senator (or Representative)                        [give their last name and state, such as "Senator Schumer from New York"]. The switchboard will connect you, and a receptionist in that office will answer.

Remember to call between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday.

You will repeat the instructions below for all three phone calls, one to each Senator and one to your Representative.

When connected, say:

“I am (first name) (last name) from (city/town) and I would like to speak with the staffperson who handles health issues. I wish to speak briefly to them about colorectal cancer funding.”

The receptionist will connect you either to the health staffperson or to their voicemail. Do not be discouraged if you get voicemail…still leave a message as if you had spoken with someone.

Precisely What to Say When You Phone, Tuesday, March 20:

“My name is (first name) (last name) and I am from (city/town). I’m calling today because of my concern that colorectal cancer has not received the funding it needs from Congress.” If you wish to say IN ONE SENTENCE what your connection is to colorectal cancer, do it here.

“I want to urge Senator / Representative (name to make colorectal cancer a priority for federal funding so that we can win the war against this dread disease. I need [him or her] to support a 6.7% increase at the National Cancer Institute in order to begin turning around the problem we have with decreasing research dollars for colorectal cancer. I also need [him or her] to support a $10 million increase to the Colorectal Cancer Screening, Education, and Outreach program at the Centers for Disease Control. By supporting this funding for NCI and CDC, lives will be saved!”

If you are speaking to a staffperson, ask if they believe “their boss” will support these necessary increases. Feel free to have a brief conversation with them before you end with, “I and colorectal cancer patients and families are counting on you. Thank you very much.”

If you leave a voicemail, end by giving your name (again), phone number, and email address and ask that they reply to you about whether “their boss” will be supporting these necessary increases. Close by saying, “I and colorectal cancer patients and families are counting on you. Thank you very much.”

You should repeat this procedure and this script until both of your Senators and your one Representative have been called.

When you have finished all three calls, let us know how it went by visiting this page on our website, fill out the form and submit.

C3 and colorectal cancer patients and families are counting on your! Thank you!

Posted by Dusty Weaver on March 16th, 2007
Posted in: Policy & Advocacy News | 2 Comments »

Washington State House Passes CRC Screening Mandate

The Washington State House passed a bill, HB 1337, which requires insurance coverage for colon and rectal cancer screening. The roll call vote was 83 yeas, 13 nays, and 2 excused. The bill was sent to the Senate where it was refered to the Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care.

The House Committee on Health Care & Wellness in its report on the bill said beginning July 1, 2008 HB 1337 requires:

“…disability insurance contracts and health benefit plans to cover colorectal cancer examinations and laboratory tests constistent with the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendatons or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.”

The report also said:

“Coverage must be provided for the screening and tests at the frequency identified in the guidelines or recommendations, as deemed appropriate by the patient’s physician after patient consultation. These benefits must be provided to individuals at least 50 years old and to those who are under age 50 if they are at high risk or very high risk for colorectal cancer according to the screening guidelines or recommendations.”

The bill is scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care March 22 at 10:00 am (Pacific time). This is subject to change.

According to the 2007 Colorectal Cancer Legislation Report Card, Washington received an “F” because the state does not have “legislation that requires insurance providers to cover preventative colorectal cancer screenings.” If you are a resident of Washington you have to opportunity to change this to an “A” by calling your state Senator and tell him or her to vote “yes” on HB 1337.

Posted by Dusty Weaver on March 16th, 2007
Posted in: Policy & Advocacy News | No Comments »

Electroacupuncture helps with severe nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy

Although there are medical treatments to prevent nausea and vomiting during and after chemotherapy, some patients still experience significant problems despite drugs to prevent them.

Researchers in Singapore used electroacupuncture during chemotherapy to prevent nausea and vomiting for patients whose nausea and vomiting had not been relieved with standard medical treatment.

Patients were getting doxorubicin (Adriamycin®) chemotherapy and standard combination treatment of 5HT₃-antagonist and dexamethasone.    But that combination was not preventing nausea and vomiting in some patients screened for the study.

Doxorubicin has a high risk for nausea and vomiting, and almost always causes it.  5HT₃-antagonists include Zofran®, Kytril®, and Aloxi®.

Twenty-seven patients received electroacupuncture during their chemotherapy treatment. Nearly all — 26 — had a reduction in nausea and vomiting and more than one-third had no vomiting.  Average pain scores for the procedure for 3 out of ten.

The research team concluded:

Electroacupuncture is well-tolerated and effective as an adjunct in reducing chemotherapy-related nausea and emesis.

SOURCE: Su-Pin Choo et. al. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Dec 2006, Vol. 12, No. 10 : 963 -969.

Posted by Kate Murphy on March 15th, 2007
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | No Comments »

Colon Club rolls out new colorectal awareness project with toilet paper

The Colon Club has launched a new Wipe Out Colorectal Cancer campaign with actual rolls of toilet paper printed with information about colon and rectal cancer.

The rolls are available in both travel and full sizes from the Colon Club web site.

The travel rolls have the message on the label, but full-size rolls have information printed on every sheet.

Hannah Vogler, Co-Founder of the Colon Club says,

Everyone has to use toilet paper sometime! The Wipe Out Colorectal Cancer toilet paper is just another way for us to educate people about colorectal cancer. The regular size rolls can be used on any standard toilet paper rod, and the travel rolls are so portable that you can carry them around and give them away.

Wipe Out Colorectal Cancer is dedicated to thirty-one-year old Paula Ries from Mount Vernon, Indiana.  Paula was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer last year, which has now spread to her pancreas. 

The Colon Club raises awareness of colorectal cancer in innovative and entertaining ways including the Colossal Colon and the Colondar, which features young models who have had colon or rectal cancer baring their scars for the camera.

Posted by Kate Murphy on March 15th, 2007
Posted in: Research & Treatment News | 2 Comments »