During March – Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month – put your colorectal cancer awareness to work and help us pass butt covering legislation.

In about 10 days, colorectal cancer advocates will be on Capitol Hill urging their Members of Congress to support the three pieces of legislation that are supported by the Cover Your Butt Campaign. About a week after that – on Wednesday, March 19th – we’ll be urging everyone across the US to participate in the Congressional Butt-In, a one-day phone blitz to Capitol Hill.

Take action. Put your Members of Congress on notice that they will be hearing from you and many others throughout Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month about the importance of making colorectal cancer screening available to everyone who needs it.

Suzanne Lindley, who has lived with advanced colon cancer for nine years, is featured in the current issue of All You magazine.

Writing her own story, Suzanne says, “Cancer makes me thankful for every moment.”

Told nine years ago that she had colon cancer that could not be treated and that she had at most six months to live, Suzanne despaired at first. Then, discovering an Internet support list, she met another patient with stage IV colon cancer who told her that she shouldn’t be planning her death, but finding a doctor who would give her some hope. She writes that she owes her life to Shelly Weiler, who told her that he wouldn’t die without a fight and neither should she.

Since then she’s been in active treatment almost constantly, finding new treatments as old ones failed. She moved to the country where she could have horses to ride and a special life with her daughters and husband.

She says that cancer has been a journey of self-discovery for her.

I’ve changed a lot since my diagnosis, and I think it’s simply because I’m thankful for every moment. Early on, we decided to stay in the country, and we’ve been so happy here. We know everyone in our town, and I even ran a café for a year. Before cancer, I used to be timid and afraid. Now we saddle up the horses when the moon is full and ride down to the lake.

She’s come to realize the power that her cancer story has to inspire change and to help others. She writes,

I’ve become aware of the power my experience has to create change. I’ve told my story more than a dozen times in Congress to help lobby for cancer research and treatment funding, and I’m now involved in several advocacy groups. Knowing that I’ve given people new avenues for hope has made the time I spend living even more meaningful. Meanwhile, I’ll continue to ride horses, dance, fight and hope for the cure around the next corner.”

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

Last legislative session State Senator David Thomas and Sate Representative Gilda Cobb Hunter introduced companion legislation (S561 & H3530) to mandate colorectal cancer screening coverage in South Carolina.

After pressure from advocates around South Carolina, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina has voluntarily agreed to provide colorectal cancer screening coverage for all of their customers fifty years of age and older. This policy change will impact approximately 300,000 South Carolinians.
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Senator John McCain won the Wisconsin Primary on Tuesday night widening his margin of delegates over second place Mike Huckabee.

Though McCain pulls to an unreachable lead over Huckabee, the former Governor of Arkansas refuses to drop out of the race. “We see the last stand only when somebody has 1,191 delegates,” Huckabee said Tuesday.

On the Democratic side Senator Barack Obama came out on top in Wisconsin. The race between Obama and Senator Hilary Clinton remains tight with both candidates looking ahead to the March 4th primaries in Ohio and Texas, The winner of those states stand to gain a substantial bump in their number of delegates.

The fight for Commander in Chief wages on with all candidates fighting for their respected party’s nomination.

Stayed tuned to the never ending soap opera we like to call American Politics.

The Conservatives’ favorite, Mitt Romney (MA), ended his bid for the GOP Presidential nomination on Thursday afternoon. Romney said it was time for him to step aside in order for the Republicans to launch a national campaign against Senator Hilary Clinton and Senator Barack Obama.

Romeny’s departure all but assures that Senator McCain will win the Republican nomination. McCain has had a difficult time winning over the hearts of the conservatives in his own party. Some have even vowed not to vote if he is the nominee.

Former Governor Mike Huckabee (AK), a distant third in the fight, has vowed to continue his campaign.