MEDIA ADVISORY: Colorado's Chief Medical Officer and community health leaders promote March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

SAVE THE DATE - Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2007

Dr. Ned Calonge, chief medical officer of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, along with his doctors at Kaiser Permanente and the Colorado Cancer Center and its supporting members (*see below) are promoting the life-saving message that colorectal cancer screening prevents cancer and saves lives. Media are invited to report on and cover (through live pool video and photography) Dr. Calonge's personal colonoscopy.

WHAT:    News Conference with Dr. Ned Calonge and community health partners following shortly after Dr. Calonge's colonoscopy for colon cancer screening.

WHEN:    1:30 p.m., Wednesday, February 28, 2007

WHO:    Dr. Ned Calonge, Colorado's chief medical officer, Colorado Dept.of Public Health and Environment
Dr. Bill Rector, gastroenterologist, Kaiser Permanente
Dr. Dennis Ahnen, staff physician, Veterans Affairs Medical Center and professor, University of
Colorado School of Medicine

WHERE:    Kaiser Permanente Franklin Medical Offices, 2045 Franklin St.
Denver11th Floor Conference room

VISUALS and INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES: 

• Pool video of Dr. Calonge's colonoscopy

• Photography of Dr. Calonge's colonoscopy

• Interviews with news conference attendees

• Colorectal cancer screening guidelines and information

• Information on the Colorado Colorectal Screening Program, one of the few programs in the nation to offer free colorectal screening and related follow-up care to Colorado's uninsured population.

BACKGROUND:    Colorectal screening is the most effective type of any available cancer screening, and can detect signs of cancer before it ever has a chance to develop. Unfortunately, colorectal cancer is still the second leading cause of cancer deaths in Colorado. Only 60 percent of Coloradans have accessed some form of endoscopic screening.

Coloradans need to be informed about screening for this preventable cancer.  Finding polyps prevents colorectal cancer, and colorectal cancer screening saves lives. Dr. Calonge through his personal experience will show that colon cancer screening "is not that bad" and hopes to dispel the fears associated with colonoscopy (one of the recommended screenings).

*Supporting project partners of the Colorado Cancer Coalition include: Colorado's Comprehensive Cancer Program, University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center, the American Cancer Society, Rose Medical Center and 9Health Fair. For more information about the coalition go to www.coloradocancercoalition.org.

Primary contact: Jacque Montgomery, 303-746-1632 jacque.montgomery@kp.org      
Secondary contacts: Lynda Solomon, 720-524-5470 lynda.solomon@cancer.org  or Lori Maldonado, 303-921-8598
 

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