One year ago, I was faced with the decision to cancel Call-on Congress because of COVID-19. I did so with the deepest respect for our tradition to gather in Washington, D.C. as an advocacy community. 

I could have never predicted the following months would be a period of momentous change for our country, with predictions of upheaval and even a widespread healthcare crisis. In the face of fear and anxiety, our community rallied online, and I realized our strongest tradition was really our commitment to each other and to forward progress, no matter the circumstances or how long it takes. Inspired, our team used the time to focus on innovation, continuous improvement, and a passion to fight alongside you.

As the president of Fight CRC, I took this time to lead and ensure we remained accountable to the community we serve. It is our absolute duty to provide free education, care packages, and masks to patients and front-line workers who need them.

We embraced the opportunity to be innovative and focused on ways we can continue to deliver exceptional support to those who require our help -- our community of relentless champions of hope.

Relentless

Amid this turbulence of a national pandemic and an election year, we continued to fight. 

• The USPSTF heard from over 1500 advocates that we believe the science supports dropping the screening age to 45 years old.

• After 8 years, our efforts to pass the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act was successful.

• After hearing our stories, researchers from around the world will come together to advance research and answer the question, “Why are younger and younger patients facing colorectal cancer?”

Champions

Thousands of champions, advocates, and volunteers from across the country found us. They give us their time, resources, skills, and talents.  Volunteers are the heartbeat of our organization.

• Over 850 joined our virtual Climb, hiking, walking, and swimming in all 50 states.

• More than 3,000 champions made generous donations to support awareness, education, and research.

• Over 1000 volunteers delivered resources boxes to local communities across the country.

We can still do more. With thousands of volunteers, we hope to reach every person diagnosed with colorectal cancer.

Hope

For those of us impacted by colorectal cancer, patients and caregivers, it’s okay to not be okay. But in those dark moments, we must cling to hope, find it, and nurture it. Over the last decade I have learned that part of healing and recovery is finding others who have faced the same diagnosis, and hearing that they, too, have experienced the same dark moments and that there are moments of hope along the way.

There’s power in opening yourself up to joining a community. When you show up and join our collective of more than 50,000 champions, you are sending a message of healing and strength. 

I assure you we will not give up or back down; we are fueled by hope and empowered by our connections. We are survivors and thrivers. We are a family, standing together in solidarity, fighting for a cure. 

That is why I am so passionate about the mission and growth of Fight CRC. As we look forward to the year ahead, I am honored to be able to ensure Fight CRC and our team continues to serve you and all those impacted by this disease.

Sincerely,

One thought on “President’s Message: January 2021”