ACS CAN President Chris Hansen
+ Technology/Innovation
Jamie Barrand | Mar 3, 2016

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month begins with message from ACS president

By presidential proclamation, March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month -- a time set aside both to honor survivors and to promote awareness and the need for ongoing research.

“The president’s proclamation underscores the importance of educating the public on this dangerous but highly preventable disease,” American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) President Chris Hansen said. “This year, nearly 135,000 people in the U.S. are expected to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and nearly 50,000 will die from the disease. Screening and early detection tools are available, but are too often out of reach because individuals are forced to pay out of pocket for a portion of the procedure.” 

Led by the ACS, a network of more than 500 health organizations have come together to help Americans undergo colorectal cancer screenings at the recommended times. The network is trying to raise the rate of screenings to 80 percent by 2018.

“ACS CAN supports the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Screening Act that would lift a financial burden for people living on a fixed income by ensuring men and women on Medicare receive these lifesaving screenings without unexpected cost sharing,” Hansen said. “Congress should quickly move this bipartisan legislation that already has the support of nearly one third of the Senate and 220 members of the House of Representatives. Eliminating the cost burden in Medicare will increase access to screening that can detect colorectal cancer early -- and, in many cases, prevent it altogether.”

For more information, visit www.acscan.org.

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