“Colondar” features young people with colorectal cancer

The Colon Club has published its annual *Colondar* featuring photographs of young people who are conquering colorectal cancer. Each month focuses on the story of one young model who was diagnosed with colorectal cancer under the age of 50.

The [Colon Club](http://www.colonclub.org/aboutus.html ) is devoted to raising awareness of colorectal cancer through what they call “Crazy Projects.” Besides the annual Colondar, they built the [Colossal Colon](http://www.rollingtorecovery.com/colossalcolon.htm) a forty-foot long, crawl-through replica of the human colon which is still traveling across the US and Canada.

Although colorectal cancer is thought of as a disease that only affects older people, Colondar models remind us that at least 15,000 people under 50 will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2005. Colondar stories emphasize the importance of not overlooking symptoms including weight loss, anemia, abdominal pain, and rectal bleeding. Several of the models were told “not to worry” about symptoms and went undiagnosed for many months.

Wall-sized -Colondars* cost $15 and can be obtained from the [Colon Club website.](http://www.colonclub.org/colondar.html)