More than 100 staff, physicians and volunteers from Henry Mayo
participated in the recent Relay For Life event presented by the
American Cancer Society. The hospital donated baskets for a
raffle with proceeds benefitting the American Cancer Society. In
addition, a giant model of a colon at the Henry Mayo booth was a
hit with an estimated 2,500 people walking through. The giant
model served to educate the public, along with a cancer museum,
about colorectal cancer, the second leading cause of cancer
deaths in the United States, with 50,000 reported last year.
Henry Mayo’s booth took first place for “fightback message.” The
American Cancer Society reports that more than 145,000 people
are diagnosed each year with colon and rectal cancer—and men and
women are equally at risk. The good news is that in recent
years, the incidence rate of colorectal cancer has decreased, as
has the death rate. Decreases have largely been credited to
early screening tests such as colonoscopies. It is recommended
that people start sc