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Colon Cancer Alliance to bring conference to Denver

The Colon Cancer Alliance will host its national conference, Family Matters: What Every Family Needs to Know About Colon Cancer, June 23-25 in Denver. The group is sponsor of the annual Undy 5000 race, which benefits the Colorado Colorectal Screening Program at the University of Colorado Cancer Center.

The family-friendly conference will bring together national experts who will cover a wide range of topics including genetic risks, designing a treatment plan, advanced disease treatment options and tips for living with colon cancer.

"We are thrilled to bring our national conference to Denver this year as the city has been incredibly supportive of our efforts to bring greater awareness to colon cancer screening and survivorship," said Andrew Spiegel, CEO of the Colon Cancer Alliance. "Last year, during our Denver Undy 5000 event, we were excited to have Councilwoman Carla Madison, who recently lost her battle with the disease, provide encouraging and heartfelt words to all participants. This year, we will honor her memory during the ceremony and take time to recall her amazing efforts to raise awareness of the disease."

More than 1.2 million people are living with colon cancer. Colon cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in the United States. An estimated 142,000 new cases will be diagnosed this year. Through recommended screenings, the cancer may be caught early when treatment is most effective – or even prevented when pre-cancerous polyps are detected and removed.

The conference kicks off on Thursday, June 23, with a reception and awards presentation. The Friday, June 24, keynote presentation, "You (and Your Family) Have Colon Cancer – You are Not Alone" will be delivered by Tim E. Byers, M.D., M.P.H., from the Colorado School of Public Health. Following will be a series of breakout sessions featuring high-profile guests from the University of Colorado Cancer Center, American Cancer Society, John Hopkins University, the Cancer Legal Resource Center, Fight Colorectal Cancer, Cancer and Careers, EmergingMed, the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and elsewhere.

The conference concludes on Saturday, June 25, with the Third Annual Denver Undy 5000 at Denver's City Park. The race encourages participants to run in their undies, or specially designed boxers, providing a fun way to bring attention to a serious disease. The family-oriented event is open to all ages; besides the 5K run, there will be a 1-mile family fun run.

To register for the conference, visit www.ccalliance.org. To learn more about the Undy 5000, visit www.undy5000.org.

University of Colorado Cancer Center Speakers:

• Kristen Leonardi-Warren, R.N., N.D.; Lindsey J. Martinez, "What I Need to Know About My Parent's Cancer"
• Wells A. Messersmith, M.D., F.A.C.P., "Chemo Advances – New Drugs and Trials"
• Priscilla A. Ingebrigtsen, L.C.S.W., "Parenting With Colorectal Cancer