Scientific research is crucial to better understand the causes and factors associated with colon cancer. That’s why we established the Blue Hope Research Award, a one-year fellowship providing vital resources and funding to a bright investigator interested in making his or her mark in the colon cancer space.
Last year, we used the American Association for Cancer Research's (AACR) peer-review process to fund critical research on biomarkers. We’re excited to announce that last night we officially presented our second annual Blue Hope Research award to Kent W. Mouw, M.D., Ph.D from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at the AACR's Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, PA.
Dr. Mouw will be studying a newly discovered genetic mutation that is found in colon cancer patients diagnosed under the age of 50. Through this research, Dr. Mouw hopes that scientists will gain a greater understanding about the rising incidence in those under 50 as well as new treatment options for this group.
Every year, 15,000 people under age 50 are diagnosed with colon cancer. What’s even more concerning is that this number is on the rise, even though rates for those over 50 continue to decline. We're committed to staying on top of this trend and are invested in being a part of the solution. We already know that screening is less common in younger individuals, and key symptoms are often unrecognized and misdiagnosed. But there is still much more to learn about why this is happening and how we can go on the offensive.
The more we learn, the closer we are to getting ahead of these trends and providing younger individuals with the tools they need to take control of their health.
Thank You
We would like to extend a special thank you to Roanne’s Race, the family and friends of Jake Lyons and Olympus, and Reason to Party for their generous gifts that will support this grant. Thank you also to Brian and Kathleen Hersey, Christi Edwards and Joseph Gouveia for their support of this important research initiative.
How You Can Help
We’re looking for sponsors and donors to support this and other critical research initiatives.
To learn more, contact us at (202) 628-0123 or donate to the Research Fund.
Don’t forget, the Colon Cancer Alliance serves as a source of information about colon health. If you have additional questions about screening or are in need of support, please contact our free Helpline at (877) 422-2030. We’re here to help!