Did you know that colorectal cancer, including colon cancer, is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States? Colorectal cancer is another commonly used term that includes not only cancers of the colon, but also cancers that form in the rectum. Anyone can get colon cancer. But there are some people who are at higher risk. If you have a family history of colon cancer, physicians generally recommend that you get screened for colon cancer at an earlier age because your risk of getting the disease may be higher. For those who have no family history of the disease, recommended screenings generally begin at age 50 because this is when the risk of getting colon cancer begins to increase.
To raise awareness of colon cancer and colorectal cancer, Memphis is hosting their very first Get You Rear in Gear 5k race, hosted by the Colon Cancer Coalition. The Colon Cancer Coalition’s mission is to “empower local communities to promote prevention and early detection of colon cancer and to provide support to those affected.” This organization was founded in Minneapolis, MN in 2006, where they held their first race. The organization grew, and they expanded to other cities around the nation to continue to raise awareness of this leading cancer. To learn more about the Colon Cancer Coalition, visit their website.
We are a proud sponsor of Memphis’ first Get Your Rear in Gear 5k. To learn more about this event, which is coming up on Saturday, go to the main event page on their website. They have listed many ways for people to get involved.