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A service for healthcare industry professionals · Friday, March 29, 2024 · 699,731,077 Articles · 3+ Million Readers

Colon Cancer Coalition and Olympus Corporation of Americas roll out Tour de Tush® to restart colorectal cancer screening

Image of the back of a bike rider wearing a Tour de Tush bike jersey.

A Tour de Tush rider takes a break during an the in-person Tour de Tush event in Allentown, PA in 2019.

Tour de Tush logo. Yellow logo with blue Colon Cancer Coalition star. A bike wheel is the "o" in Tour.

Tour de Tush takes place in May 2021. For more information or to register visit coloncancercoalition.org/tourdetush

Solo cyclist in an Olympus bike jersey rides on the road in front of a row of trees, he is waiving at the camera.

A Tour de Tush rider participates in 2019 Tour de Tush - Allentown, an in-person event.

Serious riders and casual bikers are invited to join a month-long bike challenge in May to encourage screening for colorectal cancer.

We hope that the Tour de Tush national bike challenge will help raise spirits and build awareness of these missed screenings and jumpstart local screening programs”
— Chris Evans, president, Colon Cancer Coalition
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, UNITED STATES, March 11, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Tour de Tush®, a month-long bike challenge, is taking place in May 2021, raising money and awareness for colorectal cancer screening across the country. Colorectal cancer is the nation’s No. 2 cancer killer, but it is up to 95% preventable with proper screening. Unfortunately, the number of people being screened has dropped drastically since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. By riding along with us on a road bike, a cruiser, a stationary bike, or something in between, we can make more people better aware of the importance of screening.

“Screening for colorectal cancer is a literal lifesaver,” says Chris Evans, president of the Colon Cancer Coalition. “COVID-19 lockdowns and health care shortages have resulted in delayed or missed diagnosis and untold effects on countless individuals. As the nation begins to see the light at the end of the tunnel, we hope that the Tour de Tush national bike challenge will help raise spirits and build awareness of these missed screenings and jumpstart local screening programs. We are thrilled that the money raised through this virtual bike event will help fund local efforts for colorectal cancer screening.”

"Tour de Tush has been a staple event in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania since its inception six years ago," said Julien Sauvagnargues, president of Olympus Corporation of the Americas. "Olympus is thrilled to support the expansion of this virtual ridership program, bringing it from the backyard of our America's Headquarters in Pennsylvania to neighborhoods across the United States. We are proud to support the Colon Cancer Coalition's ongoing efforts to encourage screening for colorectal cancer, especially as the nation will be facing the results of sharp declines in cancer and other health screenings as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Registration and additional information are available at https://ColonCancerCoalition.org/TourDeTush.

Just 4 simple steps to make a difference for someone in your community.
1. Register, then set your mileage and fundraising goals.
2. Fundraise to support colorectal cancer screening and awareness programs. Fundraising is not required but highly encouraged!
3. Ride! All miles in May count toward your mileage goal.
4. Celebrate with us during a livestream with survivors, partners, sponsors, and more on May 31!

Tour de Tush is planned by the Colon Cancer Coalition and is one of nearly 40 events held annually across the country. All events educate the public and raise funds for colon cancer screening and prevention. Money raised will help to build and fund programs aimed at increasing colon cancer screening and early detection of the disease.

The number of people who are living with or have survived colorectal cancer in the United States exceeds 1 million. Event participation for colorectal cancer patients and survivors is free. Fundraising by participants is encouraged, but not required. Patients and survivors are also invited to share their personal story of colorectal cancer with Olympus for the “100 stories of colorectal cancer” to raises awareness about the importance of screening. To learn how to be a part of it, visit the project page.

If you are interested in learning how you can use your screening story to inspire others, tune in to an upcoming webinar featuring screening champions Andrew Albert, MD, MPH, and gastroenterologist in Chicago, Amy Johnson, Gale Fritsche, and Doug Dallmann, today, March 11 at 12:00 PM (CST). Click here to register.

COLON CANCER FACTS
● 1 in 24 Americans will be diagnosed with colon or rectal (colorectal) cancer during their lifetime.
● The American Cancer Society estimates 149,500 Americans may be diagnosed in 2021, and 52,980 may lose their life to this disease in 2021.
● 51% of adults 50-54 have not been screened.
● Colonoscopy screening can prevent colorectal cancer, but there are screening options, talk to a doctor to find the best test for you.
● 1 in 5 colorectal cancer patients are 20-54 years old.
● Adults born in the 1990s have 2x the risk of colon and 4x the risk of rectal cancer than those born in 1950.

“After being diagnosed with stage III colorectal cancer when I was 50, I made it a personal mission of mine to make sure others also get screened on time,” says Gale Fritsche, who worked with the Colon Cancer Coalition to make Tour de Tush a reality in 2015. “Cycling helped me remain active through treatment and also gave me a sense of community. In the past six years, we have raised significant funds for colorectal cancer screening and awareness in the Lehigh Valley. I am excited to bring this event to a national audience and support the Colon Cancer Coalition’s screening and awareness efforts across the county.”

About Colon Cancer Coalition
The Colon Cancer Coalition is based in Minnesota and dedicated to encouraging screening and raising awareness of colorectal cancer. The organization’s signature Get Your Rear in Gear® and Tour de Tush® event series are volunteer-driven in communities throughout the United States. Annually the Colon Cancer Coalition distributes over $1 million dollars to local communities to build and sustain programs promoting early prevention, screening, and research, as well as patient support efforts for those living with this disease. By making the words colon, colorectal and colonoscopy a part of the everyday language, we believe we can overcome the fear and decrease deaths from this largely preventable cancer. For more information visit https://ColonCancerCoalition.org.

About Olympus Corporation of the Americas
Olympus is passionate about creating customer-driven solutions for the medical, life sciences, and industrial equipment industries. For more than 100 years, Olympus has focused on making people’s lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling by helping to detect, prevent, and treat disease; furthering scientific research; and ensuring public safety. Olympus is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, with more than 35,000 employees worldwide in nearly 40 countries and regions.

Olympus Corporation of the Americas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Olympus Corporation, is headquartered in Center Valley, Pennsylvania, USA, and employs more than 5,500 employees throughout locations in North and South America. For more information, visit https://www.olympusamerica.com.

Jennifer Bannan
Olympus Corporation of the Americas
jennifer.bannan@olympus.com

Erin Peterson
Colon Cancer Coalition
erin@coloncancercoalition.org
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