Colorectal Cancer Coalition

March — It’s Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

It’s March 1, the first day of a busy Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

It’s time to celebrate our successes and then push even harder to end suffering and death from colon and rectal cancer.

For the tenth year, Congress has declared March to be Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and we’ve come a long way in those ten years.  From a disease that everyone was too embarrassed to talk about, we’ve seen colonoscopies on TV, explanations of how screenings prevent colon cancer illustrated with mashed potatoes and peas, and Blue Stars of Hope popping up everywhere.

We’ve crawled through giant colons, written, called, and visited our public officials, and built strong national organizations to prevent, treat, and beat this disease that kills 50,000 Americans every year.

• The Colorectal Cancer Prevention, Early Detection, and Treatment Act (H.R. 1189) has just been introduced to provide life-saving screening.
• On March 24, grassroots advocates from all over the United States will Call on Congress to urge the passage of 1189 and support increased funding for colorectal cancer research.
• March 31st, thousands of callers (hopefully you included) will “Butt-In” and call Congressional offices to take action in support of HR 1189.

Across the country this month there will be seminars, workshops, television shows, walks, runs, and gala dinner-dances to raise colorectal cancer awareness and promote screening.  But most important will be the conversations that colorectal cancer survivors and their families have with friends and neighbors urging them to be screened.

Tell a friend  and tell Congress — Colorectal cancer is preventable, treatable, and beatable.  We will win this one!

This news article was originally posted on March 1st, 2009 and was accurate at the time of publication. Since then, information may have changed or links may now be outdated. Please call our Answer Line 1-877-427-2111 for the latest information, or talk to your doctor before making any medical decisions.

Posted by Kate Murphy on March 1st, 2009

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