Chapel Hill, NC – July 27, 2004 – Nine-time Olympic medalist Dara Torres today teamed up with the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Colon Cancer Alliance (CCA) for a ceremony to pay tribute to people with colorectal cancer (CRC) and their loved ones. Torres and the CCA dedicated a tree to the UNC Lineberger Cancer Center to symbolize the strength and resilience of families affected by CRC, the growthof knowledge in CRC treatment, and hope for the future.
Torres, a former Olympic swimmer whose father was diagnosed with CRC in 2001, has partnered with the CCA on the Roots of Support in CRC program, which was developed to help patients build a personal support network to fight the disease together through outreach, communication and education.
"I understand how people can feel at a loss when someone they care for is diagnosed with colorectal cancer," said Torres. “By being here today, I hope to help educate others affected by this disease about ways to find the tools and encouragement to build their own network of support.”
“Our goal as health care providers is to make the diagnosis, treatment and recovery process easier,” said Richard M. Goldberg, M.D., Associate Director, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. “F amily, friends and loved ones are an indispensable resource in providing emotional support and helping to make decisions about treatment options.”
"A recent survey of our members showed that a support network matters when facing CRC, both to patients and to their loved ones," said Amy Kelly, Program Director for the CCA. "Roots of Support in CRC was created to reach both of these groups: to remind people living with CRC that they are not alone and to help their loved ones recognize the many ways they can offer support.”
Components of the program include a patient guide titled “Cultivating a Network of Support” and a brochure for loved ones titled “Offering Hope and Support.” Both can be ordered and/or downloaded free of charge at www.ccalliance.org/roots.
About Colorectal Cancer
According to the CCA, colorectal cancer includes cancers of the colon, rectum, appendix and anus. When abnormal cell growth occurs, a tumor develops. If the cells of a tumor acquire the ability to invade and thus spread into the intestinal wall and to other sites, a malignant or cancerous tumor develops. Most colorectal cancers develop first as colorectal polyps, which are growths inside the colon or rectum that may later become cancerous.
In 2004, an estimated 146,940 new cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed and 56,730 Americans will die from the disease. About 4,100 new cases of the disease will be diagnosed in North Carolina alone – more than 10 percent of all new cancer diagnoses in the state – and nearly 1,600 deaths will be caused by CRC. Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths among men and women combined, second only to lung cancer.
About Dara Torres
Dara Torres is the first American to swim in four Olympics (1984, 1988, 1992 and 2000) and the second-most decorated U.S. female Olympian, with nine Olympic medals. Dara will serve as an NBC correspondent for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. After her father was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2001, she became actively involved in his treatment and education. She is committed to raising awareness about CRC and the critical role of family and friends in confronting the disease.
About the Colon Cancer Alliance
The Colon Cancer Alliance (CCA) is a national patient advocacy organization dedicated to ending the suffering caused by colorectal cancer. The CCA brings the voice of survivors to battle colorectal cancer through patient support, education, research and advocacy. In order to achieve these goals, the CCA hereby declares war on colorectal cancer. Today, CCA has over 9,000 members, including colon and rectal cancer survivors, their families, caregivers, people genetically predisposed to the disease and the medical community.
About the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
Established in 1975, the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center is part of the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Center faculty treat cancer patients, conduct research into the causes of cancer, develop and direct programs in cancer prevention and train future physicians and scientists.
UNC Lineberger was recently designated as a Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) in GI cancers, one of only four such programs in the country funded by the National Cancer Institute. The five-year grant will fund the development of novel therapies, cancer screening and prevention programs and population-based studies in 22 NC counties with an emphasis on colon cancer.
Roots of Support in CRC is supported by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and ImClone Systems Incorporated. For more information about Roots of Support in CRC, visit www.ccalliance.org/roots or call 1-877-422-2030.
Roots of Support in CRC is made possible through the generosity of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and ImClone Systems Incorporated. Copyright © 2005. All rights reserved.
 |
 |