To help promote colorectal cancer screening awareness, attendees received free t-shirts featuring the funny slogan “Get Your Rear in Gear!”. Families were encouraged to do a 1K walk or run on the upstairs track before heading down to enjoy the activities.

Serving as a main attraction, community members of all ages took their first walk through the Prevent Cancer Super Colon and learned about the importance of colorectal cancer screening and prevention. Other fun activities included:

• Complimentary water bottles, bananas and granola bars for the public to enjoy as they walked around the gym
  

  Family Fun Day volunteers pose in front of the Prevent Cancer Super Colon at the Kearney YMCA.

• An educational booth run by a nutritionist from Good Samaritan Hospital about healthy eating, including helpful tips for getting enough fruit, vegetables and protein into daily meals
• Kid friendly activities such as an inflatable obstacle course, a trail mix station and a fruit smoothie station
• A prize table where a few lucky community members won drawings for bikes, iPods and gift certificates.

Good Samaritan Hospital won the Prevent Cancer Foundation’s 2012 Colorectal Cancer Screening Saves Lives National Challenge. Out of 19 applicants, they made it to the top three by recruiting nearly 300 online votes for their community project. As a winner of the National Challenge, they received a $5,000 grant and a Prevent Cancer Super Colon exhibit stop.

The state of Nebraska has the second highest incidence rate in the U.S. for colorectal cancer in residents 50 and over. It also has one of the lowest colorectal cancer screening rates in the country*, making programs on the prevention and early detection of colorectal cancer a vital need for the community. The Prevent Cancer Foundation was proud to partner with Good Samaritan Hospital for their Family Fun Day–a step in the right direction in engaging the Kearney community on healthy living, wellness and colorectal cancer screening.

Learn more about the Colorectal Cancer Screening Saves Lives National Challenge & vote for your favorite colorectal cancer prevention & screening community project by visiting http://screeningsaves.org/

*National Cancer Institute’s State Cancer Profiles, 2013

At the event, guests had the opportunity to tour the Prevent Cancer Super Colon and receive important information about colorectal cancer prevention as well as a free take home colorectal cancer test kit. Several healthcare professionals from the Hope Center, a cancer center, and Northwest Georgia Oncology Center were onsite throughout the day to help encourage colon cancer screening, answer questions and give tours of the cancer center.The Center is located across one of Cartersville’s major shopping centers, allowing us to attract shoppers who had no idea they would be stepping inside a giant colon that day. Many of our visitors heard about us from the hospital media and local press as well. Our interactive colon was a big hit for the young families that came to learn more about cancer prevention. The colon exhibit was a great way to teach kids the importance of eating their fruits and veggies and being active as an easy way to start keeping their body healthy and preventing colon disease and cancer. I also had the opportunity to give a tour of the Prevent Cancer Super Colon to a local cable television show.

Oncology doctor w/ daughter inside our giant colon exhibit!

The Prevent Cancer Foundation would like to thank our host, Cartersville Medical Center and Northwest Georgia Regional Cancer Coalition, the event sponsor, for inviting us to participate in this wonderful event. It was great working with people who truly share a passion for sharing the message of prevention and early detection of colorectal cancer.

1. Watching the reaction of shoppers as they tried to figure out what this huge, inflatable, red thing was.
2. Giving a tour of our colon exhibit to teens who were really interested in knowing more about colon cancer.
3. Meeting generations of families who have been touched by colon cancer.
   

   Father brings his three sons to the Prevent Cancer Super Colon to learn about colon health!

The day was full of many curious looks and interesting comments and questions as both adults and children approached the Prevent Cancer Super Colon situated in the center court of the mall. Several onlookers asked if our exhibit was a brain and the kids wondered if it was a moon bounce. I was particularly moved by how intrigued the teen visitors were and impressed with the thoughtful questions they had about colon cancer.

As with every stop the Prevent Cancer Super Colon makes, there were many survivors and families of loved ones lost to cancer who visited throughout the day. One of the survivors was a mother named Corrina who was diagnosed with stage four colorectal cancer at the young age of 38. When it comes to advocating for the importance of knowing your family history of cancer, Corrina not only talks the talk, but she also walks the walk, as she brought her daughters to visit the educational exhibit so that they too could understand the importance of cancer screening and colon health. Corrina also knows that her daughters will need to begin screening at a younger age since she herself was diagnosed before the age of 50. Colorectal cancer screening typically begins at age 50 for those at average risk of colorectal cancer, but people with a family history of colon cancer or polyps should talk with their doctor about getting screened at an earlier age.

Doctors & nurses from Hamilton Health answer questions about colon cancer

Volunteers from Dalton’s Hamilton Health, including nurses and doctors, were on-sight to answer questions regarding colorectal cancer symptoms and refer visitors to medical centers that provide colorectal cancer screenings. These enthusiastic volunteers were a great resource for the local families visiting the exhibit.

The Prevent Cancer Foundation would like to thank Hamilton Health Care for inviting us to their community and helping us share the life-saving message of colorectal cancer awareness and screening!

Check out this video of Corrina, a Colon Cancer Survivor, who visited the Prevent Cancer Super Colon with her daughters to teach them the importance of knowing your family history.

Elvis stops by the Prevent Cancer Super Colon in Times Square to remind his fans to get their colon cancer screenings!

The Prevent Cancer Super Colon was invited to be a part of Fight Colorectal Cancer’s (FCC) One Million Strong, an event spotlighting colorectal cancer awareness and prevention and encouraging everyone to celebrate the more than one million survivors of the disease in the U.S. The event included lots of fun, health-related activities that attracted many on-lookers to come find out what colorectal cancer and screening was all about. From sun up to sun down, the day was filled with dance parties, free yoga sessions, an acrobatic yoga demonstration, colon health educational materials, celebrity appearances, a “strong-man” competition and the sharing of many heartfelt survivor stories. The Prevent Cancer Foundation’s President and Founder Carolyn (“Bo”) Aldigé spoke in the opening ceremony about the importance of detecting polyps and colon cancer early and reminded the audience that the disease is preventable, treatable and beatable. Our Prevent Cancer Super Colon became one of the day’s most sought out attractions, showing the hundreds of participants and volunteers the importance of colorectal cancer screening.

This party for colon cancer prevention attracted people of all ages and walks of life to the Prevent Cancer Super Colon. We were able to give a tour of our three-dimensional super colon, show visitors what colon cancer and related disorders look like and provide them with fun, educational materials, such as Elvis magnets and Buddy Bracelets that each included vital screening information. I was amazed by how many people wanted to take our Buddy Bracelets to share with their family, friends and co-workers, in order to share the message about colorectal cancer screening guidelines (what a thoughtful way to show someone you care!). But many took them for themselves, commenting that the bracelet would serve as a helpful reminder to make an appointment for colon cancer screening soon.

This was my first Prevent Cancer Super Colon stop and even though I had studied my colorectal cancer and colon health facts, I ended up learning just as much, and maybe more, from our visitors, as they learned from me. Our morning visitors included a family from France that has an aunt with colorectal cancer, who also travels with a colon cancer educational exhibit similar to ours! It was interesting to learn the awareness activities for colon cancer happening in France. Their story reminded me that cancer has no boundaries and it’s a world-wide burden for so many individuals and families. People from all over the world shared their stories about the colon cancer screening process, having a family risk of colorectal cancer and how losing a loved one to cancer motivated them to get their colorectal screenings.

The Prevent Cancer Foundation featured on the NASDAQ Jumbotron!

As the sun started to set and the neon lights grew brighter, we could feel the enthusiasm building for the One Million Strong finale! The final events of the day included a pumped up dance party, recognition of colorectal cancer survivors on stage and an appearance by Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin, the current Middleweight Champion of the World, who did not leave without getting his Buddy Bracelet and a tour of the Prevent Cancer Super Colon! Quillin took pictures with survivors in front of the Prevent Cancer Super Colon and shared a message of “Let’s knock out colorectal cancer.”

Just as this remarkable day was coming to an end, the Prevent Cancer Foundation was featured on the NASDAQ board communicating our vision to all those watching in Times Square: Stop Cancer Before it Starts! 

The Prevent Cancer Foundation is very thankful to our friends at FCC and Bayer, the event sponsor, for inviting us to be a part of this truly inspiring day full of exciting moments and eager supporters all promoting better prevention, diagnosis, patient care and treatment of colorectal cancer.

Dr. A.J. Magana and staff

Shoppers at the Monument Mall in Scottsbluff, NE were in for a treat when the Prevent Cancer Super Colon visited the mall’s center on March 2 and 3. Sponsored by Regional West Medical Center, the exhibit was a part of a health fair with tables of information about colorectal cancer, breast health and high fiber nutrition. Dr. A.J. Magana, a local gastroenterologist, and members of his staff were present for both days and were fantastic at giving tours through the exhibit and answering questions.

Patients at Lack’s Cancer Center in Grand Rapids, MI were greeted by the Prevent Cancer Super Colon when they entered the center’s lobby on March 8 and 9. The exhibit, sponsored by Saint Mary’s Health Center, had a few hundred visitors who walked through and received colorectal cancer information. The Center’s gastroenterology nurses, along with volunteers from Grand River Gastroenterology, helped share information on colorectal cancer and screening with patients, family members and the general public. Even hosts from the local radio station “Wood Radio” were eager to help out! They dressed up as polyps and encouraged people in the hospital’s cafeteria to stop by the exhibit and learn about colorectal cancer prevention and early detection.

Cheryssa and the Easter Bunny at the Walnut Square Mall in Dalton, GA

Hamilton Health sponsored the biggest March turnout for the Prevent Cancer Super Colon at the Walnut Square Mall in Dalton, GA on March 23 and 24. The exhibit had a prime location right in the center of the mall and had relatively steady traffic as shoppers walked by and families came over to visit the Easter Bunny. Over 1,200 visitors walked through the exhibit and received information from the Prevent Cancer Foundation and Hamilton Health. The two-day event was kicked off by an informative speech and presentation by gastroenterologist Dr. Stephanie LaFontaine.

As part of the National Tour, sponsored by Bristol-Myers Squibb, the exhibit visited the beautiful new Morton Health Clinicin North Tulsa, Oklahoma on Thursday, March 29. The event featured tables from Morton Health about a high fiber diet and cancer information in English and Spanish. Representatives from the Cherokee National Cancer Program were also there to share information about women’s health and cancer information in English and in Cherokee. Of the people who took a post-event survey, over 94% said they learned something new, would share information with others and would make changes in their own lives after visiting the health fair.

Children enjoying the walk through the Prevent Cancer Super Colon in Tulsa.

Wrapping up the month on March 31, the Prevent Cancer Super Colon was displayed inside the Neal Community Recreation Center in Bryan, TX, thanks to Bristol-Myers Squibb and Texas A&M University System Health Science Center. Not only did the Health Festival feature one-on-one colon cancer risk evaluations with community health workers, but also provided diabetes checks, breast exams, HIV testing, and vision and hearing screenings. With over 100 volunteers guiding visitors to the appropriate resources and 35 colonoscopies scheduled, the day was quite busy and great success for prevention and early detection!

A big “thank you” to all of the wonderful contacts I worked with to make these fantastic events happen. National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month may be over, but awareness about prevention and early detection should last all year. If you’re interested in bringing the Prevent Cancer Super Colon to your area or viewing the upcoming schedule, visit http://preventcancer.org/what-we-do/education/super-colon/.

These stops were a continuation of the five-stop tour organized by Noel Pingatore of the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan. I must say that it was a joy to see such a beautiful state and work with such wonderful people. Overall, I must agree with the catch phrase “Say YES to Michigan!”

A personal highlight from my trip may come as a shock to many of you. I did a lot of driving around the state and ended up having to do something that is not typical for a New Jersey native – I had to pump my own gas! New Jersey is one of two states where it is illegal to pump it yourself. When you do it all your life you probably don’t think twice about it, but for me it was an adventure. I tried to take a video of it until I started getting weird looks from the people around me.

My first event was in Mt. Pleasant, about an hour north of Lansing. It was a privilege to be part of the 27^th Annual Saginaw Chippewa Pow Wow on August 6! The event was initially set up outside in a giant circle of tents, but due to the rain, it was moved inside the Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort. Throughout the afternoon we were able to not only reach tribal members but also the general public visiting the casino. Thanks to Tracy Pigeon and some very enthusiastic volunteers, we had a productive day with over 600 people walking through our exhibit.

The second event was in the town of Dorr, a short half hour drive south of Grand Rapids. The Gun Lake Tribe’s (Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians) Health and Human Services Department celebrated their new Wellness Center offices with a great open house. The combined attraction of the Prevent Cancer Super Colon, the variety of services available at the wellness center, the great reception and the raffle prizes drew out much of the community on August 8. Even Tribal Chairman D.K. Sprague walked through the exhibit, which was filmed for the tribal archives. The entire event, organized by Phyllis Davis, was a success!

Our tour of Michigan ended in Lansing at the Ingham Regional Medical Center on August 10. We set up in the parking lot near the patient entrance and saw a variety of people. Angela McFall coordinated the event and recruited volunteers to help attract people, hand out materials and answer questions. Not only did patients stop by, but doctors and nurses came outside to spend their break times in the Prevent Cancer Super Colon! Healthcare professionals in many different departments enjoyed learning about colorectal cancer.

The Prevent Cancer Super Colon^TM is definitely a sight to see! At 8 feet tall and 20 feet long, it is – literally – a giant colon that people walk through. As part of the Prevent Cancer Foundation staff, I knew that we used this exhibit to promote colorectal cancer awareness and screening guidelines but it was only a few months ago that I started traveling with it. Until that time, I never would have thought I would be having conversations with people on topics ranging from daily fiber intake to colonoscopies!

I recently had the privilege of working with Noel Pingatore of the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan to bring the Prevent Cancer Super Colon to five different cities in Michigan. Below are some of the highlights from the first two stops.

I flew into Sawyer International Airport way up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (“the U.P.”). With only two gates and one baggage claim area, the airport was different from other airports I have used. A “DC girl” out of my element, I was proud of myself for making the trek all the way to Baraga, MI – a one and a half hour drive, in the dark, with no GPS, no cell phone service and only a map of Michigan!

On July 22 we set up the Prevent Cancer Super Colon in Baraga (pronounced “bear-ga”), a beautiful little town on Lake Superior that is part of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community. Kathy Mayo put together a fantastic Cancer Prevention Carnival that highlighted the Prevent Cancer Super Colon and also featured snacks, a clown and educational booths about lung, oral and breast cancer. Children of all ages came through, some who learned the word “colon” for the first time and some who were happy to take information home to keep their parents healthy.

About five hours in the other direction of “the U.P.” is a town called Sault Ste Marie that borders Canada. Sault Ste Marie (pronounced “soo saint marie”) is home to the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians. On July 26 Amanda Leonard organized a tent outside of the Sault Tribe Health Center that included the Prevent Cancer Super Colon and educational booths about breast cancer, sexual health and the dangers of tobacco use. Many people who worked for or had appointments at the Health Center stopped by to learn more about cancer prevention.

The number of people who shared personal stories with me was truly touching. I met cancer survivors, widows and people with loved ones currently battling colon cancer. I heard from a young woman who is concerned about her fiancé because his family history calls for him to start getting screened at age 25. I spoke with a man who has diverticulitis that causes him to take extra care of his colon. There was a woman who just turned 50 the week before and received colonoscopy information in the mail – she had ignored it and was very glad to see our exhibit that made her realize that she should go.

I had a great time at both events and am also excited about three more events next week on Michigan’s Lower Peninsula! Be sure to check back in a few weeks to read all about my adventures in Mt. Pleasant, Dorr and Lansing!

Visit our Web site for more information about bringing the Prevent Cancer Super Colon to your community!

With such a remarkable backdrop and with hundreds of children cooling off in the Fountain of Rings, the Prevent Cancer Super Colon stop, made possible through the support of Amgen, soon became one of the day’s most sought out attractions. The Foundation welcomed more than 800 individuals through the Prevent Cancer Super Colon.  Many adults expressed great interest in knowing more about colorectal cancer prevention and many others shared their own experiences with colitis and polyps or stories of colon cancer battles. Overall, the hundreds of people who stopped by were quite diverse in age, race, and ethnic background. A host of children, coming directly from the Fountain of Rings, made it through the Super Colon in their wet swimsuits and for the first time in the history of the exhibit, a group of runners literally jogged through the Prevent Cancer Super Colon.

The Foundation partnered with Morehouse School of Medicine, Georgia Cancer Coalition, Northside Hospital, and American Cancer Society for the day’s educational exhibit. They were able to assist local individuals with specific questions about upcoming events, and colorectal cancer screenings and treatment.

One of the day’s highlights was when survivors who visited the Prevent Cancer Super Colon encouraged others to get regular colonoscopies.

Check out the video of the event and some of the enthusiastic visitors who shared their personal stories and their impressions of the Prevent Cancer Super Colon.

The Prevent Cancer SuperColon was sponsored by the California Colon Cancer Control Program (CCCCP) whose mission is to save lives by preventing and reducing the devastating effects of colon cancer for Californians through education, early detection, diagnosis and treatment, and integrated preventive services, with special emphasis on the underserved.  CCCCP is a federally funded program, run by the California Department of Public Health, established to increase awareness of colon cancer through public health education. 

Unlike many other cancers, colon cancer is preventable, treatable, and beatable through early detection.  The bilingual Prevent Cancer SuperColon exhibit raises awareness about the importance of early colon cancer detection and encourages visitors to get screened for the disease. It shows healthy colon tissues, as well as polyps at various stages.  Onsite at the festival were Spanish speaking volunteers to help community members understand how healthy lifestyles play an important role in preventing colon cancer.

Watch this YouTube video!

The event featured many booths with health resources, give-aways, musical entertainment, a bike raffle, free kayak rides and the Prevent Cancer SuperColon was onsite to raise awareness and spotlight Colorectal Cancer in the Latino community.  Dave Cortese, County Supervisor,  was the starter for the walk and is an ongoing advocate of the work Latinas Contra Cancer does in the community.  This California non-profit was founded in 2004 by Ysabel Duron, a San Francisco newscaster and cancer survivor.  Since then they have worked to increase access to quality care, to decrease mortality and improve the quality of the health care experience.  They also provide education and outreach services and partner with health care institutions to bridge the gap through culturally competent outreach and medical care.  Ms. Duron comments that, “Talking about cancer won’t kill us, the silence will. We confront this deadly disease very publicly to give support and inspire hope.” 

Watch the YouTube video!

The exhibit is part of the Prevent Cancer Foundation’s National Colon Cancer Awareness Campaign that is sponsored by Amgen Oncology.