Save the Colons 2021

Dear Colleagues, 

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.  For the past 4 years, our Duke Sports Medicine Team has participated in the DUKE CRUSH COLORECTAL CANCER 5K in memory of Ann Ashley’s husband, Raye Ashely.  Unfortunately, they are not organizing a race this year due to Covid -19.  So, for 2021, we will organize our own Virtual 5K Run/Walk.  For those of you who would like a more competitive option, you may choose to create/join a team to participate in the Mileage Challenge (whichever team, up to 4 participants, logs the most combined walk/run miles wins)!  Between March 19th and March 28th, you can run or walk a 5K or contribute to team mileage at times and locations that you choose.  Please only include a walking "workout" toward mileage, not the distance you walk throughout your normal day.  While we can't assemble a large group for a run, small groups could organize a time to meet up and run/walk together. 

There is no fee to join the 5K or the mileage challenge.  However, we ask that you make a donation to Duke Cancer Institute's Gastrointestinal Cancer Fund.  You can do this directly at: Cancer Institute Donation Page, or you can give cash to or Venmo Heather Myers (@heather-myers-17).  She will make one large donation on behalf of Duke Sports at the end of the month.   

If you or a loved one is due for a colonoscopy, get it scheduled!  Not sure if you are due?  Check out the recommendations below.  

Click HERE to schedule.

The ACS recommends that people at average risk* of colorectal cancer start regular screening at age 45. This can be done either with a sensitive test that looks for signs of cancer in a person’s stool (a stool-based test), or with an exam that looks at the colon and rectum (a visual exam). 

People who are in good health and with a life expectancy of more than 10 years should continue regular colorectal cancer screening through the age of 75.

For people ages 76 through 85, the decision to be screened should be based on a person’s preferences, life expectancy, overall health, and prior screening history.

People over 85 should no longer get colorectal cancer screening.

*For screening, people are considered to be at average risk if they do not have:

A personal history of colorectal cancer or certain types of polyps
A family history of colorectal cancer
A personal history of inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease)
A confirmed or suspected hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome, such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or Lynch syndrome (hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer or HNPCC)
A personal history of getting radiation to the abdomen (belly) or pelvic area to treat a prior cancer