Submitted News
Brooke Point High School students dressed in Blue on March 1 for National dress in Blue day for Colon Cancer Awareness. Freshman Danielle Cornwell, whose father battled with stage IV colon cancer, is leading the charge at her school this March along with the school’s Learn & Serve program.
Danielle states, “It was hard to watch my dad fight colon cancer. Not many people talk about colon cancer and I use to get upset every time I saw a breast cancer commercial and nothing for colon cancer. So I am breaking the silence, someone has too.”
High school students are far from the recommend age for colon cancer screening, which is 45-50, depending on family history. So why bring it into the schools? In a study done by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, the average age of first time parents in the DC Metro area was 26 years old in 2006. That means that the majority of students in high school in this area have parents that are approaching the age 45-50 in a few short years.
The student lead charge will include national dress in blue day, lunch room educational booths and putting together a large student team to participate in Scope for Hope 5k on March 16th. Scope for Hope is an awareness 5k race hosted by Associates in Gastroenterology**, a local GI practice.
Danielle continues, “It may be a hard topic for my friends to bring up at the dinner table but I feel like I can help them start the conversation with their parents. National Dress in Blue Day is an awesome opportunity to explain to someone why you are in blue. And they [students] can invite their parents to support them at the 5k race, which is both fun and educational.”
* March is Colon Cancer Awareness month. Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Why? Rectum…anus…colonoscopy . These might as well be four letter words. Unlike the recent stigma change about breast cancer, society hasn’t jumped on the colorectal cancer wagon quite yet. And the silence is deadly. 60% of deaths from colorectal cancer could be prevented with routine screening.
**Associates in Gastroenterology specialize in the evaluation, diagnosis, and management of all diseases and disorders affecting the digestive system. Dr. Josovitz, Brown, Marathe, Huang and Aram are locally recognized as Northern Virginia Magazine’s Top 100 Doctors in this February’s issue and in years past. They are the top in their field and would be available for interviews, quotes or expertise in this or future stories. Please see our website for additional information www.assocgi.com .
