Seven years ago, March was officially declared National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. But the seeds for this annual, month-long educational campaign were planted back in September 1998. That was when the first national colorectal cancer education campaign was launched at the White House.
The 1998 campaign was supported by thousands of individuals in communities across the country, often in collaboration with national and local partners. Olympus, a long-time proponent of colorectal cancer education, was present at this groundbreaking event and has been actively involved ever since.
Having pioneered the development of endoscopic technology that helps physicians identify and remove polyps before they turn deadly, Olympus manufactures approximately 70 percent of the medical equipment used worldwide in colorectal cancer screening and treatment procedures such as colonoscopy.
Over the years, Olympus has joined with numerous public, private and voluntary colorectal cancer organizations around the nation, under the umbrella of the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable (NCCRT), in gaining acceptance for endoscopic screening for colorectal cancer and contributing to early diagnosis and treatment. The combined efforts of this national coalition have ultimately saved tens of thousands of lives.
The Roundtable consists of over 50 member organizations such as the American Cancer Society (ACS), American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation (CRPF), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Olympus, Fashion Week, and the EIF's NCCRA
While many people know Olympus as a design and style leader in digital cameras, some are surprised to learn that Olympus is also a leader in the efforts to raise awareness regarding colon cancer screening. For the third year in a row Olympus served as the title sponsor of Olympus Fashion Week, which takes place bi-annually in early February and early September under the tents in New York City's Bryant Park. Olympus joined forces with the fashion community and the Entertainment Industry Foundation's National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance (EIF's NCCRA) to help make it more fashionable to talk about and promote colorectal cancer awareness.
EIF's NCCRA, co-founded by the TODAY show host Katie Couric, cancer activist Lilly Tartikoff and the Entertainment Industry Foundation in 2000, is a charitable initiative dedicated to the eradication of colon cancer by promoting education about the importance of early preventative screening and funding cutting-edge research to develop better tests, treatments and ultimately, a cure.
The relationship between Olympus, EIF's NCCRA, and the fashion community is an integral one, as the fashion industry's advocacy on important public health issues historically has had a huge influence. The industry has proven it can speak to women in particular, who are an important group to educate about colon cancer. Today, 70 percent of women who are of the recommended age for breast cancer screening now receive annual mammograms, while less than 40 percent of women of recommended age get screened for colon cancer.
Through this partnership, Olympus will contribute to the EIF's NCCRA awareness efforts and support its research and patient care initiatives, helping to keep the important issue of colorectal cancer awareness in the spotlight year-round, and well into the foreseeable future. Over the past few years Olympus and others have seen the impact Katie Couric and the EIF's NCCRA have had, as there has been a 20 percent increase in the number of colonoscopies performed, a phenomenon that has come to be known as the “Couric Effect.” This remarkable achievement has saved countless lives and it is critical that the efforts are continued and broadened.
In Fall of 2005, the NCCRA and Olympus unveiled a new Public Service Announcement (PSA) featuring actor Dennis Quaid that is designed to raise awareness about colorectal cancer. In the PSA, which is the latest element of the “Be Seen, Be Screened” campaign launched by Katie Couric at Olympus Fashion Week a year earlier, Quaid asks, “Are You the Picture of Health?” Many national publications have joined in this awareness effort by donating space to run the PSA, among them Time Magazine, Men’s Health, Prevention, Ladies Home Journal, People and Entertainment Weekly.
During February’s 2006 Olympus Fashion Week, the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) and Katie Couric continued their collaboration with the fashion community to raise money and awareness for the fight against colon cancer. Olympus returned with portrait photographer Timothy Greenfield-Sanders who snapped the celebrities in attendance in an upcoming issue of People magazine.
Additionally, souvenir snapshots in official Olympus Fashion Week frames were also available in the lobby for a dollar each, with all the proceeds having benefited charity.
Saks Fifth Avenue also paid a picture-perfect tribute to Olympus Fashion Week the first two weeks of February. Olympus opened its archive of images from past seasons, and Saks was gracious enough to showcase them in its famed windows along Fifth Avenue.
All the photo fun would not have been possible without the newest additions to the Olympus Stylus digital camera family (the Official Camera of Olympus Fashion Week) – the 7.1 megapixel Stylus 710 and the 8.0 megapixel Stylus 810. Slim (each is less than an inch thick), sleek and designed to do more, these all-weather digital cameras feature Bright Capture Technology for increased shooting capability in low-light, Digital Image Stabilization to capture clear pictures of the designs and models making their way down the runway, and a 2.5-inch LCD screen for a great view from the front row, backstage, or anywhere else. For more information about Olympus Fashion Week, log on to www.olympusamerica.com/fashion, or for more information about the work of the NCCRA, visit www.nccra.org.
Olympus and the Buddy Bracelet Campaign
The Buddy Bracelet campaign, which is sponsored by the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation, encourages men and women to get screened for colorectal cancer. Blue rubber wristband bracelets featuring the message, "Colorectal Cancer: Preventable. Treatable. Beatable!" are worn as a reminder to get screened for colorectal cancer. When a person gets screened, they pass the Buddy Bracelet on to someone else as a reminder for them to get screened and so on, creating a chain reaction that is growing and already reaching thousands.
To show support for the Buddy Bracelet and help increase awareness amongst its own employees, Olympus will be providing each of its nearly 2,000 employees across the country with a Buddy Bracelet. To order Buddy Bracelets, visit the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation at www.preventcancer.org.
Olympus and the Blue Star Symbol For CRC Awareness
On March 1, 2004, the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable unveiled the blue star symbol that now serves as an instantly recognizable, year-round reminder for the battle against colon cancer. The symbol, which consists of a blue ribbon merged with a blue star assuming a human shape, represents the eternal memory of those people whose lives have already been lost to the disease and the shining hope for a future free of colon cancer. Representatives from Olympus, a member group of the Roundtable, served on the committee responsible for developing the symbol. For a fourth year in a row during the month of March, the blue star will be prominently displayed on large banners throughout Olympus facilities including those in Allentown, PA; Dallas, TX; Hauppauge, NY; Melville, NY and San Jose, CA. The symbol is also featured on Olympus' website (www.olympusamerica.com/crcawareness) and on brochures, recipe cards, and literature pertinent to colorectal cancer awareness. To order a blue star pin, contact the American Cancer Society (ACS) at 866-227-7914, the Colon Cancer Alliance (CCA) at 877-422-2030 or e-mail the CCA at info@ccalliance.org.
Olympus and The Colon Club
Olympus continues to support The Colon Club and its initiatives of the Colossal Colon® (which is now on its 2006 Travel tour) as well as the 2006 "Colondar." The brainchild of 30-year-old colorectal cancer survivor, Molly McMaster, the Colossal Colon is a way to educate people about colorectal cancer in a unique and interesting way.
The Colossal Colon is a 40-foot long, 4-foot tall crawl-through replica of the human colon, which shows examples of healthy colon tissue, several colon diseases, and various stages of colon cancer. Built in 2002, with funding from several organizations including Olympus, CoCo (as The Colossal Colon is also affectionately known as) is dedicated to the memory of McMaster's friend, Amanda Sherwood Roberts, who died of colon cancer at age 27.
In 2003, Olympus, the exclusive medical device sponsor of the tour, donated a colonoscope, sigmoidoscope, and video equipment to help allay the public's fears about colorectal cancer screening.
As of the end of 2005, the Colossal Colon had visited 74 cities in 34 states and Canada, logged about 200,000 visitors, and had over 300 news stories written and broadcast about it. Olympus continues to support CoCo by joining the tour with our very own Olympus OnSite™, an award-winning state-of-the-art mobile showroom where healthcare professionals across the country are able to experience the latest innovations from Olympus at a convenient location near their facility.
In its inaugural tour, October 2004 to November 2005, Olympus OnSite visited 40 cities in 23 states, traveling 32,000 miles, including multiple visits to several major markets. During that period, the showroom had over 1,100 healthcare professionals on board as visitors. In addition, Olympus OnSite hosted students and members of the general public for community events such as health fairs.
During its just launched new tour, Olympus OnSite™ is again expected to make stops in more than 40 cities during 2006. The first of several locations where you will find Olympus OnSite -- as well as CoCo -- will be in Huntsville, AL, where public and physician education will be central to their program as well as colorectal cancer awareness and the importance of early detection and screening.
In 2004, the Colossal Colon became available for use by colorectal advocacy and awareness groups across the country and internationally. To date, it has been used in malls, medical centers, state fairs, Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, and even has been used in a radio contest.
If your organization is interested in having the Colossal Colon appear at a colorectal cancer awareness event in 2006 and beyond, contact Molly McMaster at molly@colossalcolon.com for more information.
New for 2006, The Colon Club produced the "Colondar," a calendar of men and women who have survived colorectal cancer after being diagnosed under the age of 50.
The 2006 Colondar educates individuals about colorectal cancer in an unexpected way by telling each survivor's personal story. The 17 survivors, including a college student, an ostomate, a firefighter, a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Coast Guard, a nursing student and a Hurricane Katrina evacuee, reveal their scars and prove that this disease can affect anyone, regardless of age, and that there is life after colorectal cancer.
The month of February, sponsored by Olympus, profiles a compelling personal account by gastroenterologist, Dr. Tonya Adams. Dr. Adams sees patients with colorectal cancer all the time. But when she had rectal bleeding, she didn't think anything could be seriously wrong. Soon thereafter, Dr. Adams was diagnosed with stage III rectal cancer.
Stories like this and those noted above, accompanied by photos, U.S. holidays, facts and important dates in colorectal cancer history are all featured in this year's 2006 Colondar.
For your copy of the 2006 Colondar visit http://www.colonclub.com/colondar.html.
Olympus employees and the local community
For several years during the month of March, Olympus has sponsored colorectal cancer education events so employees could share what they learned with family and friends who may be at risk. This year, Olympus is again promoting National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month to its employees across the nation with product demonstrations, brochures, buddy bracelets, "colon-healthy" e-recipes, messages on employee paychecks and colorectal facts via e-mail. Additionally, on March 8th, Dr. Anthony Auteri, a leading gastroenterologist in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley will visit Olympus' temporary corporate headquarters in Allentown to speak to Olympus employees regarding the importance of colon cancer awareness. Dr. Auteri's message will additionally be recorded and made available to all Olympus employees for viewing on the company Intranet.
Olympus continues to set an example of good corporate citizenship. As of 2006, Olympus health benefits now cover routine and non-routine colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy screenings at 100% regardless of age (1 per year), making it easy for employees to use an in-network physician and facility to receive this "no cost" benefit via United Healthcare. Talk with your personal healthcare professional about proper screening and detection for colorectal cancer.
With such an effort being put forth by Olympus and the entire colorectal cancer community, hope for a future free of colon cancer is truly achievable.
In the meantime, Olympus will continue exploring additional ways to develop and provide breakthrough medical endoscopes and therapeutic accessories that make the detection of colorectal cancer and removal of polyps more effective and easier.
Olympus also provides year-round information about colorectal cancer awareness on its website, www.crcawareness.com.
The Facts about Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. It affects both men and women, and risk increases with age. According to the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance nearly 150,000 Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer annually and an estimated 60,000 die. With the population of aging baby boomers on the rise, the incidence of colorectal cancer is also expected to increase.
More than one-third of colorectal cancer deaths could be avoided if people over the age of 50 had regular screening tests, but because patients are generally uncomfortable talking about colorectal cancer with their doctors, they often remain silent about possible symptoms such as blood in the stool and changes in bowel habits.
Most cases begin as benign, pre-cancerous polyps (grapelike growths on the lining of the colon). Removing polyps early can prevent colon cancer. Screenings are not painful, and are often covered by Medicare and by many other health insurers.
According to the American Cancer Society, if colorectal cancer is detected early and appropriately treated, the five-year survival rate is approximately 90 percent. It has been estimated that widespread screening for colorectal cancer could save more than 20,000 lives each year.
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