Press Releases

November 1, 2010

3rd Annual Phoenix Undy 5000 5K Run Brings Greater Awareness to Colon Cancer

Phoenix, AZ (November 1, 2010) – The Colon Cancer Alliance’s 3rd Annual Phoenix Undy 5000 5K run was held on Saturday, October 30 at 9:00 AM in the State Capitol District in Phoenix, AZ.  More than 1,100 residents participated in the event to help bring greater awareness to colon cancer, the 2nd leading cause of cancer death in the United States.

“The third annual Phoenix Undy 5000 was a huge success,” said Andrew Spiegel, CEO of the Colon Cancer Alliance (CCA). “This year, $100,000 was raised to help support and build the CCA’s national and local patient support and innovative public awareness programs.  In addition, a generous portion of the proceeds will be dispersed locally to fund treatment services for those diagnosed with colon cancer in Arizona’s Fit at Fifty HealthCheck Program.”

The Undy 5000 series, created by the CCA and held in cities across the nation, is designed to promote awareness and education about colon cancer. The event stresses the importance of timely colon cancer screening, and provides valuable information for those already affected by the disease. The American Cancer Society estimates that 142,000 new cases will be diagnosed this year. Through recommended screenings, this cancer can be caught early when treatment is most effective — or even prevented altogether when pre-cancerous polyps are detected and removed.

Local sponsors of the event included Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Gastrointestinal & Liver Disease Center, Comprehensive Cancer Center at St. Joseph’s Hospital, McConnell Colorectal Center, KPHO (CBS 5), and the Colon and Rectal Center of AZ. National sponsors of this event included Amgen Oncology, ASCRS (American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons), Bristol Myers Squibb, Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Genentech, MITA (Medical Imaging and Technology Alliance) and Salix Pharmaceuticals.

More information about the Undy 5000 is available online at www.undy5000.org.

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The Colon Cancer Alliance (CCA) is a national patient advocacy organization dedicated to ending the suffering caused by colorectal cancer. In order to increase rates of screening and survivorship, the CCA provides patient support, public education, supports research and conducts advocacy work across America.

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