Colossal Colon Tour Educates and Amazes Chapel Hill

CHAPEL HILL, N.C-- A 40-foot long, four-foot tall crawl-through replica of the human colon recently arrived at the UNC-Chapel Hill campus. The mayor, local cancer survivors and healthcare professionals welcomed the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation's 20-city Colossal Colon Tour to Chapel Hill.

Accompanying the exhibit is an educational display that features hands-on, interactive stations covering topics on colorectal cancer detection, screening and treatment options and healthy eating and exercise demonstrations.

"The Colossal Colon Tour provides a unique opportunity to educate Americans about colorectal cancer -- which is 90 percent preventable," says Carolyn Aldige, president and founder of the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation. "After experiencing the Colossal Colon, we hope visitors will take the pledge to talk about colorectal cancer with their health care professionals."

The Colossal Colon is the creation of Molly McMaster, a 27-year-old colorectal cancer survivor, with help and support from the clinical and educational staff at the C.R. Wood Cancer Center at Glens Falls Hospital in Glens Falls, NY. The Colossal Colon is dedicated to the memory of Molly's friend, Amanda Sherwood Roberts, who lost her battle with colorectal cancer at age 27.

"Last year more than 237 people in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area died of colorectal cancer -- the tragedy is that almost all of these deaths could have been prevented through awareness, education and proper screening," says Shelton Earp, MD, director of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. "We are pleased that the national Colossal Colon Tour will begin in Chapel Hill and hope this interactive exhibit will promote changes in North Carolinians' behavior regarding screening for this deadly, yet preventable disease."

The Colossal Colon Tour is part of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month 2003 and is sponsored by the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation (formerly the Cancer Research Foundation of America). The Colossal Colon Tour has also been made possible by the generous financial support of Roche, which is helping to ensure that this important educational exhibit reaches as many Americans as possible.

The Colossal Colon Tour exhibit will is located at the UNC-Chapel Hill campus directly next to the Morehead Planetarium on Franklin Street. Hours of operation on February 19 are from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. and February 20 - 22 from 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.

For more information, please visit the Colossal Colon Tour Web site at www.CheckYourInsidesOut.org.

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