We Have a Winner! 2011 Screening Saves Lives National Challenge Announced

The Prevent Cancer Foundation launched the Colorectal Cancer Screening Saves Lives National Challenge in March of this year. The purpose of the Challenge is to champion community projects in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening/awareness across the country.  We were thrilled to receive 11 applications in this first year of holding the Challenge!  All of our applicants worked hard to gather votes and promote their projects; we applaud their efforts in CRC awareness and screening.

First Prize
The winner of the Screening Saves Lives National Challenge is the Center for Colon Cancer Research (CCCR) at University of South Carolina in Columbia, SC, with the project Colorectal Cancer: Get Behind It.  The Center is the winner of a $5,000 educational grant and a visit from the Prevent Cancer Super Colon.  This project is aimed at reducing the burden of CRC in the state of South Carolina. The project will target two worksites in rural communities in the state who have employer provided insurance that pays for CRC screening.

Second and Third Prize
Second place goes to the Steve Baker Colorectal Cancer Alliance (SBCCA) in Portland, OR for their project Rollin 4 the Colon.  Third place was awarded to Lucas County Colorectal Cancer Coalition in Toledo, OH for Let’s Wipe Out Colorectal Cancer.  Both SBCCA and Lucas County will receive online and print recognition from the Foundation.

Selection Process

The 1/3 of all vote getters moved forward for review by the Selection Committee. The selection committee evaluated each project using the following criteria:

• Alignment to the mission of the Prevent Cancer Foundation and the CRC Screening Saves National Challenge
• Community focus with emphasis on the people served by the project
• Feasibility of the project
• Clarity of project goals

A special thank you to Screening Saves National Challenge Selection Committee judges:

• Elvan Daniels, MD – Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
• Faye Dotoman – Southcentral Foundation, Anchorage, AK
• Genevieve Greeley – Utah Cancer Control Program, Salt Lake City, UT
• Catherine Knowles, JD – Fight Colorectal Cancer, Alexandria, VA
• Anita Mitchell – S.T.A.R.S., Seattle, WA
• June Ryan, MPH – Nebraska Comprehensive Cancer Control, Lincoln, NE

Plans are already underway for next year’s Challenge but you don’t have to wait until March to visit ScreeningSaves.org. Keep the dialogue going on the Our Community section, Share personal stories and experiences about CRC or CRC screening and awareness in your community, Learn more about CRC  and CRC screening and don’t forget to send loved ones a Screen-A-Gram to remind them when it’s time to get a colonoscopy.

There is much more we can do on the Screening Saves site to share the message the Colorectal Cancer is Preventable, Treatable and Beatable!