March Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
Prevent Cancer Foundation
Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month is a time to encourage everyone over the age of 50 to get screened regularly for colorectal cancer.
Colorectal cancer is cancer of the rectum or colon. It’s the second leading cause of cancer-related death for both men and women.
People over the age of 50 are at the highest risk for colorectal cancer. Other risk factors include:
- Growths (called polyps) inside the colon
- Family history of colorectal cancer
- Smoking
- Health conditions like Crohn’s Disease
- Being African-American
Here’s the good news: you can reduce your risk if you get screened for colorectal cancer starting at the age of 50. You can also reduce your risk of colorectal cancer by:
- Getting active
- Eating healthy
- Quitting smoking
Get Involved
Take action to prevent colorectal cancer.
- Contact local doctors’ offices and ask them to share colorectal cancer prevention information with their patients.
- Host a Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month event at a local senior center. Give out information about colorectal screenings, spread the word about how staying active can help prevent colorectal cancer, and ask a doctor or nurse to talk about the importance of getting screened.
- Hold a cooking demonstration with low-fat foods full of calcium and fiber.
- Host an information night at your local library to talk about ways to get more people in your community screened for colorectal cancer.
- Provide free information and resources to local African American community organizations and events, such as churches, neighborhood block parties, associations, etc.
Adapted from the Prevent Cancer Foundation.
Contact the Prevent Cancer Foundation at info@preventcancer.org for more information and materials.
