UK HealthCare

Dress Down Friday for Colon Cancer Awareness

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 1, 2011) - You won't have trouble finding blue anywhere at the University of Kentucky in March. But this Friday, UK HealthCare employees can wear blue and dress down for a good cause. Friday, March 4 is UK HealthCare's second annual "Dress in Blue Day." Employees, with their supervisor's approval, are encouraged to make a donation of $5 in exchange for wearing jeans. Other blue clothing is encouraged as well. The event was created to raise awareness of colon cancer and its prevalence in the country. Colon cancer is preventable, but unfortunately it remains the second-leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. According to the American Cancer Society, colon cancer screening should begin at age 50 or earlier if you have a family history of colon or rectal cancer. Recent data from the Kentucky Cancer Registry shows that more than a third of eligible Kentuckians have not received a colon cancer screening. All money raised from Dress in Blue Day will go to the Markey Cancer Center’s Colon Cancer Prevention & Awareness Programs, which support and promote early detection, research and education to save lives. The first several hundred participants to pay their donation will get to choose between a Markey Cure Cats T-shirt or a blue ribbon lapel pin. For more information on Dress in Blue Day, contact Molly Feldman at 859-323-8761 or molly.feldman@uky.edu.