41 States Recognized March 2022 as CRC Awareness Month

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Each year, advocates in the United States ask state policymakers to formally recognize March as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. In 2022, advocates from 43 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico submitted requests; 41 states responded to the request by officially declaring March 2022 as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

“Requesting a state proclamation is not only a great way to raise awareness in the state, but it starts conversations in communities about colorectal cancer and provides advocates with the opportunity to build relationships with state-level policymakers,” said Molly McDonnell, Fight CRCs Director of Advocacy.

In addition to requesting state proclamations, many advocates took the next step and participated in the Colon Cancer Coalition's “Go Blue” campaign that asked officials to light up local landmarks with blue lights, the color of colorectal cancer. Landmarks in at least 31 states participated. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in three people are not up-to-date with colorectal cancer screening. The state proclamation initiative isn’t only alerting people about the need to get screened, but educating them about their options. In addition to colonoscopy, several affordable, take-home tests exist. 

“I would encourage all CRC survivors and thrivers to submit their own state proclamations and be part of our mission to raise colon cancer visibility in all 50 states,” said stage III survivor Beth Kornegay. “The first year I submitted the request, I was given an in-person signing event with Kansas Governor Jeff Colyer. During the signing, he let me know he lost his brother to colon cancer and as a doctor, he knew how important screenings are. Submitting and securing the Kansas state proclamations for the past several years is truly easy. While it might seem a bit intimidating, it is much easier than filing your taxes!  Each year, Fight CRC creates a toolkit with all of the necessary information so anyone can do it as easily as I did. The entire process can take just a few minutes and it truly does make an impact."

Get more information about the 2022 state proclamation campaign, including state-by-state results and progress. 

2022 program partners: American College of Gastroenterology (ACG); American Gastroenterological Association (AGA); C4; Colon Cancer Coalition; Colon Cancer Prevention Project; Colon Cancer Stars; GI Cancers Alliance; HCB2; The Raymond Foundation; Prevent Cancer Foundation; and Wunderglo.

2022 program sponsor: Exact Sciences.