March is National Colorectal Cancer Month; Capitol dome will be lit blue until March 7
FRANKFORT, Ky. – Madeline Abramson, wife of Lt. Governor Jerry Abramson, has announced Friday, March 7 as "Dress in Blue Day" to kick off National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and to help raise awareness about colon cancer in Kentucky.
According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 2,200 new cases of colon cancer will be diagnosed in Kentucky this year and nearly 900 people will lose their lives to the disease. Individuals over the age 50 or who have a family history of colon cancer are at the greatest risk.
“Kentucky has one the highest mortality rates of colorectal cancer in the nation,” said Mrs. Abramson. “The good news is that through preventative screenings, this deadly disease can be detected early and treated successfully. I ask Kentuckians to join me in wearing blue on March 7 to help spread the word about the risks of colon cancer and the importance of getting screened.”
For the fifth year, Mrs. Abramson is serving as the Honorary Chair for “Dress in Blue Day” in Kentucky and is working with the Kentucky Cancer Program (KCP) on colon cancer awareness efforts throughout the month of March.
To help raise awareness in Frankfort, the State Capitol dome will be lit blue until March 7. A special exhibit with colon cancer information was featured in the Capitol Annex tunnel during the last week of February.
Hundreds of partners across Kentucky including hospitals, businesses, churches, schools, banks and health departments are planning and hosting special activities to commemorate the month and promote screening.
For more information on Colorectal Cancer Month and “Dress in Blue Day”, visit Madeline Abramson’s website athttp://1.usa.gov/NrsMri and the Colon Cancer Prevention Project website at http://bit.ly/1i3q98G.
Visit KCP’s website at www.kycancerprogram.org for information on colorectal and other types of cancer prevention, awareness and treatment.
