Fight CRC to be recognized at the Colorado State Capitol

March 26, 2019 • By Fight CRC

Fight CRC News
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Colorado Cancer Screening Program: Fight CRC to be recognized at the state capitol

On Wednesday, March 27, the Colorado Cancer Screening Program (CCSP), led by Andrea (Andi) Dwyer, will be acknowledged by the Colorado General Assembly at the Colorado State Capitol for their accomplishments in improving colorectal cancer screenings throughout the state. The Colorado Cancer Screening Program (CCSP) is a statewide program that partners with safety net hospitals and clinics to offer no-cost patient navigation services for cancer screening to the medically underserved of Colorado. The program is coordinated through the University of Colorado Cancer Center, with funding support from the Cancer Cardiovascular and Chronic Pulmonary Disease (CCPD) Grants Program. Colorectal cancer screening is the cornerstone of the CCSP program as the second-leading cause of cancer death;  killing equal numbers of men and women in Colorado, the CCSP has dedicated the past decade to prevention, navigation over 30,000 Coloradans in nearly every Colorado county. CCSP is eliminating cancer death and suffering and based on the program’s success we have detected cancer in over 300 patients, that if not caught who would have gone on later to more advanced disease, poorer prognosis, and diminished quality of life. It’s estimated that they have also prevented 500 cancers (detection of advanced adenomas) and saved the health care system conservatively $12M based on the amount to treat these colon and rectal cancers (first course of therapy) minus the costs to administer the Program. CCSP is particularly interested in ensuring resources are dedicated to rural and frontier communities and now a watchful eye to the growing number of young people who are diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Among those that have been vital to the success of the CCSP include:
  • The Colorado Cancer Screening Program-for Patient Navigation: Director: Andrea (Andi) Dwyer; Administrative Manager: Lori Workman; Program Coordinators:  Elsa Weltzien and Amie Muraski
  • Safety Net Hospitals and Clinics in Colorado: Colorado Community Health Network:  Yvette Camarena
  • Colorado Cancer Coalition-Colorectal Task Force: Karen Wehling-Colorectal Cancer Survivor  (also Fight CRC research advocate)
  • Fight Colorectal Cancer (Fight CRC): Research Advocacy Manager: Reese Garcia
  • Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment: Becky Selig and Magen Phillips
Both colon and rectal cancer can be prevented. Screening can also detect cancer early — when it is most curable. Fight CRC is working alongside partners like CCSP and doing our best to remove any and all barriers to colorectal cancer screenings (here’s how you can help). To get live updates from the event at the capitol and learn more about statewide screening initiatives like CCSP, follow @FightCRC on Instagram and Twitter!