Rep. Payne, Jr. Designates March as National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

Media Contact: Patrick Wright -- Patrick.Wright@mail.house.gov

Washington, D.C. — Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. introduced a House resolution today to recognize this March as National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the country for men and women. This year, almost 148,000 Americans will be diagnosed with the disease and 53,000 people will die from it. But if it is caught early enough, 90 percent of patients could survive within five years.

Rep. Payne, Jr. has sponsored a similar resolution annually for the last seven years as part of his focus on colorectal cancer awareness and prevention. He has been an outspoken advocate since his father, Congressman Donald M. Payne, Sr. died of colorectal cancer in 2012.

"I take this action every year to remind people that colorectal cancer is preventable with regular screenings and treatment," said Rep. Payne, Jr. "If we can educate more Americans about it, we can limit significantly the amount of deaths from the disease. Awareness is the only way we can remove the stigmas that prevent people from getting screenings. Although I lost my father to colon cancer, I do not want other families to lose their fathers, brothers and sons to this disease."