Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

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March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

The need for awareness, support, and mobilization is urgent. Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers diagnosed worldwide, yet it is also one of the most preventable and treatable when caught early. Despite its prevalence, many individuals delay screening due to a lack of awareness, stigma, or subtle early symptoms that are easily overlooked. March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month! Join us all month long as we share vital information to increase knowledge about colorectal cancer and bring attention to the importance of supporting patients and caregivers on their cancer journey.

Together we can make a difference!

Most people - patients, caregivers, doctors, and hospitals - don’t know enough about abdominal cancers and how to treat them. By joining with the Alliance and supporting these efforts, you are helping to:

Raise awareness so more people can learn about symptoms and take action to get diagnosed sooner
Connect patients, survivors, caregivers, and families to expert care and peer support
Promote research for better treatments and outcomes
Walk beside those affected by this often-overlooked disease

Inspiring Stories

Go Home and Die? Not Me!

After a routine hysterectomy unknowingly spread an aggressive cancer throughout her abdomen, this registered nurse was told she had just three months to live. Refusing to give up, she advocated for herself, sought new specialists, and underwent multiple lifesaving procedures. More than 13 years later, she is still working as a nurse and sharing a simple message: never lose hope.

My Journey Through Appendix Cancer and My Tips to Others

By Tim Morgan New Hampshire What started as a suspected case of appendicitis on Halloween 2024 quickly spiraled into a confusing medical ordeal. When I went for surgery to have my appendix removed, there was a note in MyChart about a "possible malignancy" and removal of the right side of my colon which left me thunderstruck even though the surgeon indicated that it was probably nothing. A week later, I received the words that every patient dreads - "You have cancer." The Se

The Dragon and the Lens: A Mother’s Journey Through Appendix Cancer

I have always been a pragmatist, a teacher of English Literature who looked for logic in the narrative arc of a story. But nothing in the great works of fiction could have prepared me for the moment the story became my own—or more accurately, my son’s. My son, “Hunter”, is 43, a gifted cinematographer living in Tulsa. He sees the world through a lens of light and shadow, but in 2023, a shadow fell over us that no camera could filter out. It began with standard abdominal pain

All month long, we'll be sharing key things to know about colorectal cancer and patients and caregivers can do about it. Follow along on our News page to learn more!

Key Resources

Colorectal cancer develops in the lining of the colon or rectum, typically beginning as benign polyps. Because symptoms are rarely noticeable in early stages, regular screening is essential to catching polyps early, preventing cancer, and improving treatment outcomes.

Learn more about Colorectal Cancer

Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a highly specialized and advanced procedure. It involves surgically removing all visible tumors, followed by the circulation of heated chemotherapy directly in the abdomen to kill remaining microscopic cancer cells.

Learn about CRS/HIPEC

Every colorectal cancer case is unique, making specialized surgical expertise critical. Getting a second opinion gives patients access to comprehensive evaluations, additional treatment perspectives, and the reassurance that they are pursuing the best path forward.

Finding multiple opinions

Many medical centers across the country offer colorectal cancer treatment, but the level of specialized expertise varies significantly between facilities. Patients and caregivers should actively evaluate potential care teams and ask detailed questions to ensure they receive the highest quality care.

Questions to ask your physician

Effective colorectal cancer treatment relies heavily on physician expertise and specialized care. To ensure the best possible outcome, patients should seek out surgical oncologists who routinely treat colorectal malignancies and possess deep experience in advanced surgical techniques.

Finding a specialist

Inspiring Stories from Survivors and Caregivers

My Journey Through Appendix Cancer and My Tips to Others

The Dragon and the Lens: A Mother’s Journey Through Appendix Cancer

The "New Normal”: My Journey with Stage IV Appendix Cancer

Hope Opens Possibilities

The Surgery That Changed Everything

From Isolation to Action: Survivorship and Advocacy in Switzerland

Join a Special Peer-to-Peer Campaign!

As someone impacted by colorectal cancer, you understand firsthand the challenges of navigating this diagnosis. Sharing your experience gives hope to others and helps to ground the realities that patients and families face in a real, lived human experience.

That’s why your voice is so powerful!

We’re launching this peer-to-peer campaign to raise awareness for colorectal cancer and raise funds to fuel our mission - and we’d love to have you join as a member of the campaign team!