March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

To the Editor:

Through the columns of your Letters to the Editor section we would like to invite your readers in the month of March to Turn Maine Blue as a way of increasing awareness about colon cancer and the need to be screened for the disease.

Latest available figures show that in 2009, almost 900 Mainers were diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and approximately 260 died from this disease, making it the second leading cause of overall cancer death in Maine. Many of these deaths may have been prevented if the disease had only been detected earlier.

Various statewide activities and collaborative initiatives will be undertaken throughout March to increase public awareness of this critical cancer screening. Media outlets such as yours, businesses, nonprofits and other organizations across the state, are invited to take part in this effort.

Friday, March 4 is designated as Dress in Blue Day in Maine, as it is nationally. In partnership with the Maine CDC/DHHS Colorectal Cancer Control Program, we at Healthy Oxford Hills would like to extend this invitation to your readers to participate in this socially responsible cause by wearing blue articles of clothing or accessories.

We would also like to encourage your readers to take a moment to visit http://colonscreenme.org to learn more about colon cancer and how they can possibly save their own lives or that of someone close to them.

Thank you for your consideration and support of our efforts to impact colon cancer in Maine.

Jeanne Jones

Healthy Oxford Hills

Norway