Home Blog Advocacy Blog Request a Proclamation for Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month Request a Proclamation for Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month January 10, 2022 • By Fight CRC Advocacy Blog Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn Share on Twitter Copy this URL Share via Email Each March, advocates from across the country come together to celebrate, raise awareness around colorectal cancer, and request a state proclamation for Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. For years, presidents, regardless of political party, have declared March as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and governors across the country have done the same. And it all starts with YOU! Taking Advocacy to the Next Level It only takes one person in each state to request a proclamation declaring March as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month (of course, multiple requests certainly don’t hurt!). And we’ve made it easy for you! Fight CRC created a toolkit with everything you need to make your request including: Information on how to make the request in your stateA sample proclamation A draft request letter to send to your governor It only takes a few minutes, and you can be well on your way to turning your state blue for Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. State Proclamation for Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month request a proclamation! "Submitting and securing the Kansas state proclamations for the past several years is truly easily done. 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." – Beth Kornegay, stage III colorectal cancer survivor, Shawnee, Kansas Why Request a Proclamation? Requesting and securing a proclamation is a great way to raise awareness around colorectal cancer in your state. You can share your experience on social media. Some advocates have even been interviewed by their local media! It’s a great way to get people talking about colorectal cancer and the importance of screening. Contact media@fightcrc.org if you are interested in sharing your story and raising awareness with your local media. “It’s important for me to secure my state’s proclamation for colorectal cancer as a survivor because I care about the health care of my local communities.”– Joe Bullock, Stage IIIb colorectal cancer survivor, Durham, North Carolina Requesting a proclamation is also a great way to build a relationship with your governor’s office. A lot of important policy change happens at the state level (If you don’t believe us, check out the amazing work being done through our Catalyst State-by-State Advocacy Program), and requesting a proclamation is a great way to start a dialogue with your state’s elected officials about the impact of colorectal cancer awareness, screening, research, and funding in your state. "The first year I submitted the request, I was given an in-person signing event with Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer. During the signing, he let me know that he lost his brother to colon cancer and that as a doctor, he knew how important screenings are." – Beth Kornegay, stage III colorectal cancer survivor, Shawnee, Kansas Stay up to date with which states have submitted requests and secured proclamations by checking out our state proclamations page. Do you have friends in other states? Encourage them to make a request! Going Beyond the Proclamation If you’ve secured a proclamation in your state and are looking for more to do, check out this awesome campaign led by our friends at the Colon Cancer Coalition that helps you go beyond the proclamation! Invite local landmarks, healthcare systems, and other local establishments to “Go Blue” March 4-11, 2022 (or any time in March). Learn how to turn your town blue by downloading the Colon Cancer Coalition’s toolkit! Fight CRC is building a community of catalysts — people with the power to drive promising research, fight stigma, and bring the issues we face into focus. Securing a proclamation is the first step you can take to creating awareness for colorectal cancer. It doesn’t have to end there. Here are more ways to get involved.