'Incredible Colon' to Tour Throughout Kentucky in March
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 22, 2013) — The Kentucky Cancer Program, local District Cancer Councils and the Kentucky Colon Cancer Prevention Project are promoting National Colon Cancer Awareness Month throughout the state with a special tour of the ‘Incredible Colon’ — an inflatable colon large enough for visitors to walk through it, seeing educational exhibits inside.
The event is free and open to the public unless otherwise stated. Attendees are invited to dress in blue, the color of colon cancer awareness. The colon tour will include 13 Kentucky communities between March 4th and March 28th:
- March 4: Fleming County Hospital, Flemingsburg (10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.)
- March 5: Walmart, Manchester (Noon - 4 p.m.)
- March 6: Hazard ARH Medical Mall, Hazard (10 a.m. - 3 p.m.)
- March 7: Rowan County Chamber of Commerce, Morehead (Members only, 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.)
- March 8: Frankfort Regional Hospital, Frankfort (9 a.m. - 4 p.m.)
- March 19: Lexmark, Lexington, (Employees only, 8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.)
- March 20: Lawrence County High School, Louisa (8 a.m. - 5 p.m.)
- March 21: Lady of Bellefonte Health Center, Grayson (10 a.m. - 2 p.m.)
- March 23: Phillip Sharp Middle School, Butler (8-11 a.m. )
- March 25: Town Center Mall, Ashland (10 a.m. - 3 p.m.)
- March 26: Walmart, Georgetown (3-6 p.m.)
- March 27: Adran Doran University Center, Morehead (9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.)
- March 28: Walmart, Somerset (10 a.m. - 2 p.m.)
Each local event will be unique, but in many places there will be door prizes, giveaways (while supplies last), refreshments and educational information about colon cancer screening, prevention and early detection.
Colon cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer mortality in Kentucky and nationwide. It affects men and women of all ethnicities. As many as 60 percent of deaths from colorectal cancer could be prevented if everyone age 50 and older were screened regularly, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When colon cancer is found early and treated, the 5-year relative survival rate is 90 percent.
The Kentucky Cancer Program is jointly administered by the University of Kentucky Lucille Parker Markey Cancer Center and the University of Louisville James Graham Brown Cancer Center. For more than 30 years, KCP has been a resource for the public, patients and their families, survivors, health care providers, and community organizations.
For more information on colon cancer, visit the Kentucky Cancer Program online, or contact any regional office of the program or Gloria Sams at (606) 875-1442.