Posts tagged Press
Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada launches Awareness Month by rolling out their butts on buses across the country
Mar 1st
MONTREAL, March 1 /CNW/ – The Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada (CCAC) will do almost anything to spread the message that colorectal cancer (CRC) is Preventable, Treatable and Beatable. The nation’s leader in provocative cancer advertising is once again proving it with a 17-city transit campaign in celebration of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.
Entitled GetYourButtSeen, the initiative includes hundreds of city buses adorned with the campaign’s iconic butts, as well as videos (http://bit.ly/eAdD8o), radio advertisements and an interactive website (getyourbuttseen.ca).
“No butt about it, the GetYourButtSeen advertisements will get your attention,” says Barry Stein, president of the CCAC. “We test drove the campaign in 11 of Canada’s largest cities with an overwhelmingly positive reception in 2010 – and even those who were opposed to the campaign received the potentially lifesaving message they otherwise may have ignored. The controversy actually assisted the CCAC in getting the conversation started.”
Stein knows what he is talking about. A patient diagnosed with CRC and metastases to both his liver and lungs in 1995, he now has no evidence of the disease. “Our goal is to prevent as many people as possible from having to go through what I went through – or worse – and if this campaign will do it, it’s worth it. Can you imagine how many lives could be saved if more people between the ages of 50 and 74 were getting screened?” added Stein.
The GetYourButtSeen campaign is just one of the many unique public awareness initiatives in the CCAC’s arsenal.
Ever on the cutting edge of outreach, the CCAC’s use of social media to enrich Awareness Month activities invites internet mavens and novice users alike to join in on the conversation. Tune into the CCAC’s Challenge of the Day starting March 1st on Twitter (@coloncanada) for the chance to win prizes for spreading the word.
The family-friendly Giant Colon Tour has been weaving its way from Moncton to Inuvik, delighting and informing hundreds of thousands of Canadians since it began its cross-country journey in 2009. The sensational multimedia exhibit invites visitors to journey through a 40-foot long representation of the human colon, all while being guided by the Association’s lovable puppet mascot, “Dr. Preventino”.
Other initiatives include a Public Service Announcement Contest, where entrants of all ages and backgrounds can compete to win up to $4,500 for the best television, radio or print advertisements. Interested contestants may enter as many times as they wish at the contest’s dedicated site (www.ccacpsa.com).
About Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer, cancer of the colon or rectum, is the second leading cause of cancer death in Canada. Though highly preventable and curable when detected early, an estimated 22,500 Canadians were diagnosed with the colorectal cancer last year, and approximately 9,100 died from it.
An almost equal number of men and women are affected by colorectal cancer. One in 14 men and one in 16 women are expected to develop the disease during their lifetime. One in 28 men and one in 31 women will die from it.
Colorectal cancer screening is a priority in every province and all provinces have either launched a province wide population-based screening program or are in the planning stages of doing so. The CCAC partners with cancer organizations and individuals across the country to promote primary prevention and screening.
About the CCAC
The Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada is the country’s leading non-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness of colorectal cancer, supporting patients and advocating for national screening and equal and timely access to effective treatment to improve patient outcomes.
Visit the CCAC website, www.colorectal-cancer.ca, for up-to-date information on colorectal cancer or to call a toll-free number, 1.877.50.COLON (26566) to order free copies of helpful educational materials.
The GetYourButtSeen campaign can be found online at www.getyourbuttseen.ca.
The CCAC applauds Quebec’s decision to implement its colorectal cancer screening pilot
Jun 2nd
The CCAC applauds the decision of the Quebec Ministry of Health (Ministère de la Santé et des Services Sociaux – MSSS, http://www.msss.gouv.qc.ca) and its Minister Yves Bolduc to implement a colorectal cancer screening pilot in anticipation of launching a province wide colorectal cancer screening program. Félicitations! We look forward to updating Quebec’s information on our Canada Screening & Treatment map.
There is no word yet on whether the program will utilize the Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT) or Fecal Immunochemical test (FIT) for the preliminary screening of symptom-free adults, but those who are identified as high-risk (that is, those who have a family history of the disease) will have access to screening that corresponds to their risk, namely a colonoscopy.
Said CCAC president Barry Stein, “The CCAC has been advocating for primary prevention, screening and equal and timely access to effective treatments throughout the country. We are thrilled that the Minister and the Government of Quebec have elected to implement the program. At the same time, it is also imperative that the standard of care in the treatment of the disease be provided to ensure that the lives of those already touched by the disease are prolonged and that their quality of life is maintained.”
The proposed pilot program launch is exciting news, since the CCAC has been calling for all provinces to implement colorectal cancer screening programs since 2005. We are proud to say that as of 2010, all provinces have become members of the National Colorectal Cancer Screening Network and have committed to bringing in colorectal cancer screening programs.
Click here to read the official CCAC Press Release in English and en français.
Small steps in awareness!
Mar 8th
It was a record-breaking weekend for the Giant Colon Tour crew. They’re probably recuperating from the madness right now, and getting ready to do it all again from March 17 – 18 at Queen’s Park! We”ll fill you in on all the details and post some awesome pictures soon.
In the meantime, we have a few things to celebrate!
Over 11,000 Torontonians came out to Dufferin Mall over three days to behold Canada”s favourite 40-foot colon and learn about colorectal cancer from the CCAC team of dedicated, energetic volunteers. A massive turnout!
Then the buzz from mallgoers spilled out into the world wide web! Torontonian tweeters expressed amusement mixed with a little confusion in hundreds of messages on Twitter. We’re scrambling to reply to them all and thank them for doing their part to spread the word about the exhibit! The site of this week’s Giant Colon Tour stop was even briefly featured as a trending topic, which means that a lot of messages were exchanged about it. Special thanks to @Torontoist and @SteveKupf for reaching so many people so quickly.
Major media outlets were also tickled pink to feature the Giant Colon Tour in their stories! Articles by news outlets like the National Post and the CBC have communities across Canada waiting for their turns to host the exhibit, too.
One mall at a time, the CCAC is traveling across Canada and teaching everyone that colorectal cancer is Preventable, Treatable and Beatable. Thanks to everyone who is helping us along the way!
Recent comments