WASHINGTON, March 17, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- It often takes something larger than life to get your attention. The Colon Cancer Alliance's giant inflatable colon is doing just that as it makes its way through the United States during the organization's National Cancer Prevention Tour. The walk-through colon has taken center stage on its coast-to-coast educational trek, playing an important and memorable role in educating the general public about the various stages of colon cancer while providing them with information on preventative measures, treatment options and risk factors associated with the disease.
The goal of this Bayer Healthcare, LLC sponsored tour is to educate and raise awareness about colon cancer to the general public with a focus on underserved communities. Colon cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the U.S. and the second leading cause of cancer death in men and women combined. However, early detection through a simple screening can help prevent this disease altogether.
"The interactive, inflatable colon is a fun and highly effective educational tool," said Martha Raymond, Patient Support and Outreach Director for the Colon Cancer Alliance. "People strolling through the colon quickly grasp the impact of colon cancer, the various stages of the disease and most importantly, they leave with potentially life-saving facts. We have advocates on hand to answer questions as well as to provide information about the importance of how a screening can detect precancerous polyps that can be removed before turning into cancer. It may be unusual, but our giant colon works. It gets people talking about the disease as well as helping them understand how to prevent it. We're excited about our first coast to coast colon tour and its potential to save lives."
The National Cancer Prevention Tour is making a stop in cities all across the United States. To find out if the tour is visiting a location near you, visit www.ccalliance.org/blog/colontour. The tour couldn't come at a better time as the American Cancer Society estimates nearly 143,000 people will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and almost 51,000 American citizens will die from the disease this year. On average, the lifetime risk of developing colon cancer is about one in 20 (5%), however, this varies widely according to individual risk factors such as being 50 years or older, family history of colon cancer, diet and lifestyle among others.
Visit www.ccalliance.org for more information on colon cancer and how to prevent it.
The Colon Cancer Alliance's mission is to knock colon cancer out of the top three cancer killers. This mission is being accomplished by championing prevention, funding cutting-edge research and providing the highest quality patient support services. Learn more at ccalliance.org.
A photos accompanying this release is available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=24168
