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La Peer Health Systems: Inciting Screening Nationwide

The physicians in La Peer Health Systems’ Department of Gastroenterology are bold, innovative and will do (just about) anything to encourage colon cancer screening. In fact, this Los Angeles group is currently in the process of launching a new website and establishing a Colonoscopy Center of Excellence in hopes of spreading colon cancer awareness and encouraging screening both locally and nationally.

"Colon cancer is the number two cause of all cancer-related death, but early detection is the key to preventing the disease,” said Dr. Ari Nowain, co-director of the Colonoscopy Center of Excellence. “If more people knew that, think of how many lives that would save.”

So it’s not surprising that in an effort to give back to the colon cancer community, in late 2012, the group set out to find a partner-in-crime in their crusade against colon cancer. They came across the Colon Cancer Alliance (CCA) while seeking non-profits dedicated specifically to colon cancer and, thus, our partnership was born.

And we’re already making quite a splash together. In December, La Peer Health pioneered a fun, corky Facebook campaign to pump up the volume on colon cancer conversations; for every Facebook “like” the group acquired during the month, they donated $5 to the CCA. By the end of the month, 400 people contributed to this cause, including many members of the CCA family, and La Peer Health donated $2,000 to our organization and mission!    

"A major part of La Peer Health Systems' mission is to provide the highest quality in patient care,” said Alison Galloway, Director of Nursing. “That involves giving back to the community and performing cutting-edge medical research. The Colonoscopy Center of Excellence accomplishes both of those goals by donating proceeds from this initiative to the Colon Cancer Alliance." 

But the fun doesn’t stop there. Remember when we said La Peer’s gastroenterologists and colorectal surgeons would do anything to encourage screening? That was no joke. On March 9, roughly 20 Beverly Hills physicians will hold a “colonoscopy party” to document their own colonoscopy experiences at the first annual “Scopefest”.

The event will bring all of the doctors together at a popular Beverly Hills hotel the night before the procedure for the dreaded colonoscopy prep, they will then have the test done at a local center and finish with an after party at a popular restaurant, where they’ll distribute awards for most polyps found, largest polyp and more. The group hopes this unique program will help show people that getting a colon cancer screening is not as scary as it sounds, can be turned into a fun group event and, ultimately, hope to encourage others to get screened and potentially save a life.

We extend a huge ‘thank you’ to La Peer Health Systems for their generosity and all who helped make this possible through “liking” their Facebook! We’re looking forward to a fun and productive relationship with La Peer Health in the future! If you have a fundraising idea like this, or for more information on how to hold a fundraiser to benefit the CCA, please contact Alison Ornitz at 202-628-1023 ex. 109.

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