Undy 5000 5K

• The Undy 5000 5K run returns to Tacoma for the second year in a row and will be held on Saturday, August 20 at 9:00 a.m. at Cheney Stadium to help bring greater awareness to colon cancer, the second-leading cause of cancer death in the United States. The Colon Cancer Alliance (CCA), a national patient advocacy organization dedicated to ending the suffering caused by colon cancer, will host the event.

The Undy 5000 is held in different cities across the country throughout the year. The goal of the event is 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.

Every ten minutes a life is lost to colon cancer.  According to the American Cancer, almost 142,000 new cases of colon cancer will be diagnosed almost 50,000 deaths are expected in 2011. The event particularly stresses the importance of timely colon cancer screening, and also provides valuable information for those already affected by the disease.

Although many people may consider colon cancer an embarrassing topic of conversation, this is one talk that could save a life.  In fact, through recommended screening, this cancer can be caught early when treatment is most effective — or even prevented altogether when pre-cancerous polyps are detected and removed. Talking with your doctor about colon cancer is essential to ensuring optimal screening, prevention and early detection, and treatment.