Allies with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance took a swing at colorectal cancer during the Cologuard Classic in Tuscon this March. They met with PGA golfers, shared their stories, and increased awareness of this disease. Below, several participants share the impact of their experiences.
Vanessa Ghigliotty
“This photo shows how very lucky and blessed I felt to have represented the Alliance at this year’s Cologuard Classic. The golfer I got paired with, Rob Labritz, took the time each day to come over from the 9th hole to the survivor tent and spend a couple of minutes with me happily taking tons of selfies. He was like so many people there that made us feel like we mattered and that bringing attention to colorectal cancer is important.” - Vanessa
Deondre Williams
“I have to say that my first experience in Tucson, Arizona, attending the Cologuard Classic was an experience to remember. I really enjoyed meeting a group of individuals who at one point were just my virtual family. To see all of us come together to spread awareness of a very annoying disease was well worth it, and I would do it again. I look forward to seeing what other sport is willing to get involved just like PGA.” - Deondre
Jasmin Mejia
“One of the highlights of my year is attending the Cologuard Classic because it is a time to connect with old friends, meet new ones and also be amongst people that understand what it is like to battle colorectal cancer. Cologuard always provides us with a great memorable experience! I can’t wait until next year’s event!” - Jasmin
Howard Brown
“We as colorectal patients, survivors and care partners are so fortunate and grateful to Exact Sciences, the makers of Cologuard, which sponsors the golf tournament and lets the world see CRC patients and care partners paired with pro golfers and celebrities, all playing in our honor with blue ribbons on their hats! This is not just special honor – it’s an amazing gift to spend a weekend sharing with the world to GO GET SCREENED at age 45 with an additional loud shout-out to diverse communities and minority populations that have higher diagnosis rates and are the least tested. I am grateful to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance for this fantastic and amazing experience of a lifetime.” - Howard
Anna Dahlgren
"All these pro golfers, we spent the whole week with them. It was such fun. There were about 200 survivors there. And each of us was paired with a golfer, and we got to share our story with them. Some of the golfers have experiences with colon cancer, so it's personal for them, too." - Anna
Sonia Richard
“My experience at the Cologuard Classic was life-changing! Not only was I able to help raise awareness for colorectal cancer, but I also formed many new friendships with other survivors. It was such an honor to be able to participate in this fantastic event dedicated to survivors!” - Sonia
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