Press Releases

April 14, 2010

The Undy 5000 Comes to Grand Rapids to Bring Greater Awareness of Colon Cancer

Grand Rapids, MI (April 14, 2010) -- The 1st Annual Grand Rapids Undy 5000 5K run/walk will be held on Saturday, April 24 at 9:00 AM at East Grand Rapids Middle School. The Colon Cancer Alliance (CCA), a national patient advocacy organization dedicated to ending the suffering caused by colon cancer, will host the event to help bring greater awareness to this disease -- the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States.

The Undy 5000 is held in cities nationwide to educate the public about colon cancer, promote screenings, and get people talking about this deadly, but preventable, disease. This event also raises much needed funds to support and build the CCA's national and local patient support and innovative public awareness programs. A percentage of the event proceeds will benefit Project Access, a physician volunteer program that offers health care services for uninsured, low-income residents of Kent County, Michigan.

This event stands out from many other 5K events because participants run in specially designed boxer-style shorts, providing a fun way to bring attention to a serious disease. This is a family-oriented event open to all ages. In addition to the 5K, there will be a family fun run and activities for children.

"The Colon Cancer Alliance is thrilled to bring the Undy 5000 to Grand Rapids to help bring greater awareness to this disease," said Andrew Spiegel, CEO of the Colon Cancer Alliance. "Not only is the Undy 5000 a fun way to bring great awareness to a disease that a lot of people are embarrassed to talk about, it's also a great opportunity for participants to meet others who have been impacted by this disease. This is a highly preventable disease, yet one in 19 people will develop colon cancer. If people start talking about this disease and get proper screenings, we can save lives."

The Undy 5000, created by the CCA, is designed to promote awareness and education about colon cancer. The event particularly stresses the importance of timely colon cancer screening, and also provides valuable information for those already affected by the disease.

In addition to the run, attendees will have an opportunity to try robotic surgery with the daVinci® Robotic Surgery System, a state-of-the-art technology that seamlessly translates the surgeon's hand movements for a more precise operation than conventional instrumentation. Towers will be set up at the event highlighting endoscopy (colonoscopy) procedures and instrumentation for colon and rectal cancer.

Regional sponsors of this event include Meijer, MMPC, Founders Bank & Trust, Saint Mary's Health Care, Cancer & Hematology Centers of Western Michigan, Spectrum Health Medical Group, da Vinci Surgical System, WFGR 98.7, Striders, Metro Health Sports Medicine and Gazelle Sports. More information about the Undy 5000 is available online at www.undy5000.org.

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