As I sit at my desk six months after I arrived at CCCF, it is a sunny day in winter, cool and crisp. I'm thinking about the myriad of things we have to do before the "Challenge". My list seems endless. March is upon us and we all know that March Madness is not only about basketball but about colon cancer awareness and prevention. Yesterday marked the beginning of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Blue Stars are popping up everywhere and multiple activities are planned to bring the message home that screening saves lives. When we know our family history, share it with our doctor and get screened at the appropriate time, colon cancer can be preventable, treatable and beatable!

The CCCF has made great strides this year. Dr. Weber and I will be presenting the first Colon Cancer Research Scholar Award to Dr. Bilal Alaiyan during the Cancer Forum at the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) Annual Cancer Symposium on March 5. Beginning this year, this award will be made annually to a postdoctoral surgical oncology fellow whose work receives the highest review score from the Scientific Program Committee and is focused on colorectal cancer meeting the criteria set forth by the CCCF.

In order to support our public awareness and research goals, we look to those who have been personally touched by colon cancer and our corporate partners. This month, EmblemHealth will be initiating the first Colon Cancer Challenge® Corporate Blue Star Campaign to raise funds for public awareness and research by selling Blue Stars for a $1 donation to their employees and posting them in their facilities. Other corporations are picking up the Colon Cancer Challenge® Corporate Blue Star Campaign as well.

In addition, Theory, a men and women's contemporary clothing store, will hold a special event at the Westchester Mall in White Plains, NY on Saturday, March 12 offering discounts to shoppers and donating a portion of their receipts for the day to the CCCF. More retailers are signing on to do similar events as we publish this newsletter.

And let's not forget the Challenge itself. Thanks to the generosity of Sanofi-Aventis, we are delighted that the Health and Wellness Festival will be anchored this year with the Prevent Cancer Foundation's interactive Super Colon. This 20 foot walk-through educational exhibit brings information to everyone in Central Park. This is, after all, the Challenge, the premier colon cancer public awareness campaign event and as we all know education and awareness is the key to lowering the statistics of over 50,000 deaths and 150,000 new cases of colon cancer diagnosed each year. For the first time at the Challenge there will be a dedicated team of experts in exercise, nutrition and cancer navigation on hand and to enhance the excitement of the day we will have a DJ, Balloon Twisters and Face Painters along with the much-loved Boy Scouts to once again sing the National Anthem.

Dr. Weber will kick off the 1.7 Mile Remembrance and Prevention Walk by asking for a moment of silence for all those we've lost and the many still fighting cancer. Musician Mark Vaccacio of the Beatles tribute band, Strawberry Fields, recently featured in the NY Times and on CBS-TV, will speak about his ongoing struggle with colon cancer and the importance of early screening.

It will be an exciting day culminating in an awards ceremony featuring a celebrity guest (related to the other March Madness) joining NYRR and Dr. Weber in presenting the awards for the 4M and 15K runs and announcing the day's raffle winners. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday, March 27th. Don't forget to find me and say hello. We couldn't do it without you.

Dale

Dale L. Mintz

Executive Director

Colon Cancer Challenge Foundation®