Hereditary Colon Cancer Syndrome Awareness Proclamation Campaign

Please send this to your Congressional Members, Governor, Mayor, etc to request the fourth week of March to be designated Hereditary Colon Cancer Syndrome Awareness Week

Hereditary Colon Cancer Syndrome Awareness Campaign: 

Expressing support for designation of the fourth week of March as National Hereditary Colon Cancer Syndrome Awareness Week. 

WHEREAS, colon cancer can be due to inherited conditions such as Attenuated Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, Cowden Syndrome, Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, Hereditary Mixed Polyposis Syndrome, Juvenile Polyposis Syndrome, Lynch Syndrome, MYH-Associated Polyposis, Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome, and Serrated Polyposis Syndrome, 

WHEREAS, 1 in 200 people are born with a hereditary colon cancer syndrome, 

WHEREAS, 10% of all colon cancers cases, or nearly 14,000 cases in 2019, are due to a hereditary colon cancer syndrome, 

WHEREAS, hereditary colon cancer syndromes affect individuals at early ages, often before colorectal screening for the general population begins at the age of 50, 

WHEREAS, hereditary colon cancer syndromes place families at increased risk of many other cancers including, in the case of Lynch Syndrome, cancer of the brain, skin, uterus, ovaries, and prostate, 

WHEREAS, risk-reducing prophylactic surgeries, such as the total removal of the colon, are often required to, as in the case of Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, reduce a 100% risk of colon cancer to 0%, 

WHEREAS, timely diagnosis followed with the development of a quality care plan, including proper screening and treatment, by an expert care team improves the likelihood of a long life and increases the quality of life of affected individuals,  

WHEREAS, medical professionals receive very little training in the diagnosis and treatment of hereditary colon cancer syndromes, 

WHEREAS, we must educate the world about these diseases, 

WHEREAS, in remembrance of the many men and women who have lost their lives or are fighting for their lives, due to a lack of awareness, 

WHEREAS, it behooves each of us, men, women, parents, siblings, educators, physicians and citizens to promote awareness of these diseases and increase the chances of savings lives, and it is appropriate that we designate the fourth week of March as Hereditary Colon Cancer Syndrome Awareness Week.