Preaching Prevention: The Prevent Cancer Super Colon® visits Ebenezer A.M.E. Church

At the Prevent Cancer Foundation, our vision to Stop Cancer Before It Starts!® has taken us all over the country from state fairs to Times Square helping people understand what cancer looks like. Last week, it took us to the grounds of Ebenezer A.M.E. Church in Fort Washington, Maryland, where more than 200 people took a stroll through our giant inflatable colon.

Most visitors had come by for the church’s Health Awareness Day and started the morning off with a 5k Walk/Run—perfect for contributing to the health of their colons, since physical activity can reduce colorectal cancer risk by 30-40%. While they easily could have taken off afterwards to enjoy the sunny day, we were thrilled that so many people—especially young families with kids— took the time learn more about colon health, prevention and screening.

We guided participants through the large colon, pointing out the visuals for Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis (related to colon cancer), polyps (non-cancerous growths that, if not removed, can become cancer) and various stages of colon cancer. One participant shared with the staff that she did not go through with her last scheduled colonoscopy after doing the prep, but she left the Super Colon® committed to getting screened.

Many visitors also candidly shares stories of friends and family members who had colorectal cancer, and their stories drove home the importance of knowing your family history. While most screening for colon cancer begins at age 50, if you have a family history of the disease you should speak to your health care professional about beginning screening earlier.

Colon health is a not a lesson you typically learn about in church, but it is an important one nonetheless. Thank you to the staff at Ebenezer A.M.E. church and everyone who toured the Prevent Cancer Super Colon® for welcoming us and hearing our message.

To learn more about colorectal cancer, ways to reduce your risk and options for screening, click here.

If you enjoyed the 5k Walk/Run, sign up for the Prevent Cancer 5k Walk/Run on October 4^th at Nats Park. We hope to see you there!