March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and endoscopy centers are using everything from open houses with "mock colonoscopy" screenings to physician head-shaving contests to raise awareness of the disease and its prevention.
In northern Virginia, a group of gastroenterology physicians has come up with a whimsical way to raise awareness — and money — for the disease. Throughout the month of March, patients and staff at Gastroenterology Associates as well as members of the community are invited to vote for the doctor they'd most like to see shave his head. The idea behind the "Go Shiney to Save a Hiney" contest, hatched by Darren Baroni, MD, is to have people vote with their dollars by placing donations to the Colon Cancer Alliance in jars decorated with each doctor's picture.
The jars are located at the doctors' 4 offices, as well as Prince William Hospital in Manassas. Check www.doctorgi.com after March 31 to see a video of the "winning" doctor's head-shaving ceremony.
For a more traditional approach to colorectal cancer awareness, residents of Galloway Township, N.J., are invited to attend an open house at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center's Endoscopy and Infusion Center on March 23 to hear a lecture by a GI physician, see a live demonstration of a capsule endoscopy and receive free blood pressure screenings and refreshments.
"Patients who should have colonoscopies or endoscopies often delay or don't have the tests," says Debbie Burke, clinical manager of endoscopy/special procedures for ARMC. "We're hosting the open house to allay fears and increase awareness of the importance of these and other tests."
Is your facility doing anything special for Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month? Tell us about it in the comments.
Irene Tsikitas
