In 1999, the Prevent Cancer Foundation led the charge to designate March as National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. To achieve the designation, the Foundation worked closely with legislators, the American Digestive Health Foundation and the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable. The designation became official on November 19, 1999, with a declaration by the U.S. Senate, followed shortly by a resolution of the House of Representatives and an official proclamation by the White House. The Foundation raised awareness by creating popular “buddy bracelets” featuring the tagline, “Preventable. Treatable. Beatable!” Indeed, while colorectal cancer affects both men and women in almost equal numbers, and is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States — there are several screening methods available, making the disease highly preventable.

Learn more about colorectal cancer and how to prevent it

Too Young for This Sh*t: Learn more about the rise in early-onset colorectal cancer

Read our 2020 state-level report, Gut Check: Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Report