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News Release                                                         Contact: Andrea Wilson

January 30 , 2007                                                          (806) 763-5033

For Immediate Release

South Plains Colorectal Cancer Prevention Campaign Kickoff

LUBBOCK - The 2007 Lubbock and South Plains Region Colon Cancer Prevention and Awareness Campaign press conference and kickoff will be held Thursday, February 1 at 10:00 a.m. at the American Cancer Society Lubbock Office, 3411 73 rd Street.

Colon cancer is one of the most common cancers among men and women in Texas. Over the next ten years, approximately 100,000 men and women in Texas will be diagnosed with colon cancer, and it will be fatal for approximately 40,000 if preventative action is not taken. More than 90 percent of these cases can be prevented, and most deaths could be avoided.

In 2003, Lubbock responded to these challenges and formed the Colon Cancer Prevention Task Force under the auspices of the American Cancer Society in order to work toward the elimination of colon cancer as a cause of illness and death in the community.

The task force initiated the Lubbock Colon Cancer Demonstration Project with the goal of reducing age-adjusted colon cancer mortality in Lubbock County by 50 percent by 2008 and by 90 percent by 2011.

To achieve these goals, those persons 50 years and older need to be motivated to seek immediate and consistent screening and removal of colon polyps and curable early cancer.

The task force partnered with the city and county governments, media, health care institutions, academia, businesses, private organizations and volunteer organizations to work on prevention and awareness campaigns.

The task force has been planning, recruiting, mobilizing and coordinating activities with numerous individuals and organizations and is currently developing a model for an effective community-wide colorectal cancer control campaign that can be used by other communities around the state.

The Governor, Texas Health Commissioner, Texas Cancer Council, Texas Department of State Health Services, Texas Comprehensive Cancer Control Coalition, American Cancer Society High Plains Division and U.S. Center For Disease Control (CDC) have all supported the Lubbock Colon Cancer Prevention Task Force in these efforts.

To show their support, the Texas Cancer Council recently awarded a grant to the Lubbock Colon Cancer Prevention Task Force to help fight colorectal cancer on the South Plains.

The Chairman of the Lubbock Colon Cancer Prevention Task Force and Director for the Lubbock Colon Cancer Demonstration Project stated that much more work needs to be done to achieve the objectives set in 2003:

“Every person and every organization in our community is essential to the solution of this problem, and, working together, we can make colon cancer history.”

For more information, contact Dr. Davor Vugrin at (806) 793-0988, or Robin Gardner, American Cancer Society Community Manager for Health Initiatives, at (806) 792-7128.

Please, join us at the kick-off event and help spread the word. Everyone can make a difference and by working together, we can make colon cancer history!

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