My father had a few close calls with death during his life but he amazingly always seemed to come through. As a boy he was very sick with rheumatic fever, a very serious and sometimes fatal disease, but managed to recover.

During college he broke his neck after diving into a quarry, landing him in the hospital for six weeks. While serving in the Marine Corps my father took his shiny red Austin Healy out for a joy ride, when he rolled the convertible several times, miraculously walking away with barely a scratch on him. Shortly after I was married, he had open heart surgery to replace his aortic valve to restore the blood flow between his heart and the rest of his body. After my son was born, he conquered his prostate cancer through radiation treatment.

Carolyn Schmidt with her father.

So when my father was diagnosed with an aggressive stage of colorectal cancer 14 years ago, I was convinced he would overcome that too. In my mind, he was the invincible, ever-strong “Gray Castle” (yes, that really was his name). This amazing man had a tremendous presence wherever he went. He walked with purpose, was a great conversationalist who always looked you straight in the eye, had the firmest hand shake and a gregarious laugh. He had a great presence in any room and made you want to be around him.

Sadly my mother and three siblings quickly discovered my father wasn’t as invincible as we always thought. In February 1999 my father was diagnosed with an advanced stage of colorectal cancer. His symptoms started around Christmas and he died three months later at the age of 67. My family learned the hard way that colorectal cancer can tragically end a life when not detected early.

According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. It is also one of the most preventable, beatable and treatable cancers when diagnosed early. It is estimated that 140,000 men and women will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer, resulting in approximately 50,000 deaths this year. While those numbers are down, they are still way too high for a disease that can be detected early by knowing risk factors and following screening guidelines.

As we celebrate National Men’s Health Week and pay tribute to all fathers this Sunday, please join the Prevent Cancer Foundation by encouraging fathers, grandfathers, husbands, uncles, brothers and sons to take care of themselves by eating healthy, exercising, not smoking and getting screened.

I also invite you to consider making a gift to the Prevent Cancer Foundation in honor or in memory of the special fathers in your life to support the prevention and early detection of cancer through research, education, advocacy and community outreach.
I miss my father every day but his spirit lives on in my commitment to our mission of saving lives through cancer prevention and early detection. Thank you for being part of our community.

Recognizing this unexpected “Catch – 22” situation, U.S. Representative Charlie Dent (R-PA) has introduced the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act of 2013 (HR 1070) as a resolution to this problem.  This legislation would ensure that 100 percent of the costs of cancer screening are covered under Medicare Part B, and that older Americans are not subject to unexpected cost sharing provisions if polyps are removed during a colonoscopy.

The Prevent Cancer Foundation supports this legislation and applauds Rep. Dent and the original co-sponsors of the bill: Reps. Joe Courtney (D-CT), Michael Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Donald Payne, Jr. (D-NJ).

Colorectal cancer is highly preventable, yet this year, 142,820 Americans will be diagnosed and more than 50,000 will die from the disease. Beginning at age 50, men and women should be screened regularly as the risk of colorectal cancer can increase with age. We must encourage and enable people to follow colorectal screening guidelines. For older Americans, many of whom are on fixed incomes, HR 1070 would remove a tremendous barrier for screening in a population that is most vulnerable to colorectal cancer.

For more information on our legislative activities and how to be an advocate for preventable cancers, please visit our Advocacy Action Center.

Virginia Cancer Network’s Colon Cancer Free Zone educational materials.

The Virginia Cancer Network’s Colon Cancer Free Zone project will educate Eastern Shore worksites about the importance of colorectal cancer screenings and living a healthier lifestyle through good nutrition and physical fitness. Run by four hardworking individuals, the project includes three interactive worksite sessions. In addition to group exercise and healthy cooking demonstrations, the participants will be given colorectal cancer educational materials and educated about screening and their employee health benefits. Previously completed Colon Cancer Free Zones have strengthened many corporate wellness programs in Virginia by introducing new wellness activities and incentives such as walking trails, walking competitions, weight loss programs and group exercises during the day, in addition to promoting cancer screening.

Second-place winner Wyoming Cancer Resource Services aims to increase colorectal cancer awareness and screening by distributing educational materials about lifestyle changes and cancer prevention and early detection. The group will receive a $1,500 grant and will partner with a local surgeon to discuss screening and colon health on the radio and at a food pantry, along with other events. The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe in Hogansburg, NY, won third place for their Community Wellness Day activities focused on health promotion and increasing knowledge about cancer risk factors and screening. They aim to use fun ways to educate the community and ultimately reduce colon cancer mortality on their reservation.

“There were 10 great Challenge groups for this year’s competition, all focused on making a difference in their communities in creative ways. The Foundation is proud to support the valuable colorectal cancer projects of the 2013 Challenge,” said Erica Childs Warner, Director of Evaluation and Outreach. All three winners will receive recognition on the Prevent Cancer blog, the Screening Saves website and in Prevent Cancer’s online and print newsletters.

Colorectal cancer is preventable, yet over 142,000 people are expected to be diagnosed with the disease in 2013. The Prevent Cancer Foundation realizes the importance of screening and awareness programs on the local level and created the National Challenge as a way to champion “grass-roots” community projects. To learn more about colorectal cancer visit screeningsaves.org or click here.

While you’re on the site, please take advantage of our other features:

Share Your Story

The Foundation knows that cancer touches many lives: consider submitting a story to share about how it has touched yours.

Learn About Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the US for men and women combined. Visit the site to learn about colorectal cancer prevention, risk factors and screening options.

Our Community

Interact online with individuals interested in colorectal cancer screening across the country. Discuss new ideas, learn about screening efforts in other states and share experiences.

Thanks to everyone that joined the Screening Saves community, to all of this year’s applicants and our sponsors Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Genentech. The 2013 National Challenge may be over but we look forward to hearing from you about your personal experiences, questions and comments about colorectal cancer screening and awareness!

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

While nobody ever wants to hear those words, I consider myself fortunate. My family, friends and co-workers have been supportive and loving throughout this experience, and I have access to excellent cancer treatment.

Maryanne Kipe, a colon cancer patient, encourages her friends to get regular cancer screenings.

I was not symptomatic, but I knew that I should begin colorectal cancer screening at age fifty. Because of this, my cancer was found in an early, more treatable stage. While I join other patients every month for treatment, my oncologist at Fox Chase Cancer Center has told me that I should think of mine as a preventive measure. My experience has taught me how important cancer prevention, screening and early detection can be in one’s cancer diagnosis and outcome.

Being healthy and attentive to my health care has always been important to me and my family but since my diagnosis, it has become more of a top priority. For example, I stopped tanning at my tanning salon, which I admit to doing regularly until now. I no longer use tanning beds because I know that avoiding the harmful rays of tanning beds and the sun are vital in preventing skin cancer. I did nothing to cause my colorectal cancer, but if I were to develop skin cancer, I only have myself to blame. I want to do everything in my power to stay healthy and I don’t ever want to hear any doctor say, “you have cancer” again.

One of the other actions I took immediately after finding out that I had colon cancer was to help as many other people as I can learn about what they can do to reduce their risk for the disease. I knocked on the doors of the teachers who were 50 and older at the elementary school I work at and began encouraging them to get their screenings. I told them that despite the fear or displeasure of having the colorectal cancer screening, it’s not all that bad, it’s worth any discomfort and it can save lives. I’ve also made phone calls to friends who should get screened, because they are 50 or older or have a family history of colorectal cancer. I’ve given Prevent Cancer Foundation Buddy Bracelets to strangers that I’ve met at the pharmacy filling the same prescription as me, so that they can share the message of regular screenings with their loved ones. I will also make sure that my children and family talk to their health care providers about when to get screened; since we are now aware of a family history of the disease.

My goal in sharing my story is to help impress upon as many people as possible that there are steps that you can take to reduce your risk for cancer or to find it early. Getting screened, protecting yourself from the harmful effects of tanning and practicing healthy habits, like exercising and eating well, are all ways to help prevent cancer. While you can’t prevent all cases of cancer, there are some that can be prevented or detected early when it can be more successfully treated. I know that I am going to do everything that I can to ensure that the people in my life and community know what they can do to help save their life or the lives of their loved ones.

Editor’s Note: Guest Blogger Maryanne Kipe is a colon cancer patient who works at an elementary school in PA. She is a passionate advocate in her community for promoting colon cancer screening and early detection and knowing your family history in order to reduce one’s risk of the disease.   

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.

Join members of the Prevent Cancer community by calling 1-866-615-3375 and asking your Member of Congress to support legislation that will eliminate co-payments for screening colonoscopies when polyps are found. This legislation, HR 1070, was introduced last week by Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA), along with Reps. Michael Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Joe Courtney (D-CT) and Donald Payne Jr. (D-NJ), and is called the “Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act.” Passage of this legislation is essential, to ensure that Medicare beneficiaries who have screening colonoscopies, which are fully covered by Medicare, are not subject to unexpected costs. Members of Congress want to hear from you, to let them know that this bill is important to you and your loved ones.

When you call 1-866-615-3375 you will be given very specific instructions on the phone about what to do. Help us build support for this legislation, and other important bills, by participating in this event and by joining our Advocacy Action Center.

We hope that you will be part of this effort and make your voices heard.

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.

Colorectal cancer is preventable, yet over 142,000 people are expected to be diagnosed with the disease in 2013. The Prevent Cancer Foundation realizes the importance of screening and awareness programs on the local level and created the National Challenge as a way to champion grassroots community projects.

Voting ends March 29 and is followed by a review of the applications. The winners will be announced April 9. All individuals who vote will receive a “Preventable, Treatable, Beatable” Buddy Bracelet and a Blue Star pin.

All Challenge applicants will receive educational resources and an electronic media toolkit to help promote their projects. To become eligible for the Challenge prizes, each applicant must also fulfill a community engagement requirement. The first-place winner will receive a $3,000 grant for their project, a Prevent Cancer Super Colon™ community stop ($10,000 value), a feature on the Prevent Cancer blog, an article in the Cancer PreventionWorks newsletter, and will be highlighted on the Screening Saves Lives website. To read more about the selection process, the community engagement requirement and prizes for second-place ($1,500 grant) and third-place ($500), see the Guidelines.

The Screening Saves Lives website – www.screeningsaves.org – is the home base for the Challenge where you can join Our Community, learn more about colorectal cancer, post stories and vote for the 2013 challenge entries.

Don’t miss the opportunity to discuss and share information about colorectal cancer and to support grassroots community organizations that are involved daily in colorectal cancer education and screening efforts.

For more information about the National Challenge or if you have any question contact Erica Childs Warner, Director, Outreach and Evaluation, at echilds@preventcancer.org. 

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.