ColonCancerCheck and the Belleville Bulls team up to fight colorectal cancer
March 7, 2011 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Belleville Bulls News Release
Belleville, Ontario. March 7, 2011-- The Ontario Hockey League's Belleville Bulls have joined with Cancer Care Ontario and the South East Regional Cancer Program at the Kingston General Hospital to take a slap shot at colorectal cancer.
During March -- Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month -- the two groups are urging fans to get their butts into the game by being screened for colorectal cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death and the third most diagnosed cancer in Ontario. To help raise awareness of the importance of screening, the Bulls will host the South East Regional Cancer Program during the hockey team's home game Wednesday, March 9.^
"Colorectal cancer can be stopped, but only if it's detected early enough" says Eric Tobia, former goaltender for the Bulls. "One of the best defences is to take a simple and free test now available."
ColonCancerCheck is Canada's first organized provincial colorectal cancer screening program. For those 50 and older, effective screening -- through a simple fecal occult blood test (FOBT) can reduce colorectal cancer deaths in Ontario by16 per cent. There are no symptoms in the early stages of colorectal cancer.
"That's why we are encouraging everyone aged 50 or older to be screened every two years by FOBT, though people with a history of colorectal cancer in their family may need to be screened earlier," says Dr. Hugh Langley, Primary Care Lead for Cancer Prevention and Screening at the South East Regional Cancer Program. "When caught early there is a 90 per cent chance that people with colorectal cancer will be cured, compared to only 10 per cent if the cancer is detected at an advanced stage."
During the Bull's home game March 9, players will wear "ColonCancerCheck" crests on their jerseys and team mascots will also get into the spirit. Fans are encouraged to wear green to the game to show their support for colorectal cancer screening. Fans will also have a chance to win hockey sticks autographed by the team during a "shoot out" in the second intermission. Information on cancer and cancer screening will be available on site.
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