Cancer is personal to nearly every family, including my own. Each year, more than 50,000 families across the country lose a loved one to colorectal cancer — the fourth most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in America. The toll it exacts is immeasurable, but when we detect colorectal cancer early, we can save lives and deliver hope. During National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, we raise awareness of this dreaded disease and renew our commitment to ending cancer as we know it.
While anyone can be afflicted by colorectal cancer, we know that this illness strikes at a disproportionate rate among Black Americans as well as Americans over the age of 50. Getting regular screenings and identifying symptoms and risk factors are both pivotal to saving lives. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms such as blood in the stool, a change in bowel habits, stomach pain, bloating, cramps that do not go away, or weight loss without a known cause should be discussed with a health care provider. However, early stages of colorectal cancer often emerge without symptoms, and it is important to begin regular screenings starting at the age of 45.
