Colon Cancer Coalition funds program at UNC Linebe

RALEIGH, N.C., Oct. 14, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Colon Cancer Coalition has awarded UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center $50,000 to support the development of interventions to promote colon cancer screening in primary care settings that serve diverse, vulnerable patient populations. Funds were raised during Get Your Rear in Gear – Raleigh , a 5K run/walk held annually in March.

"I'm absolutely delighted to receive this support from the Colon Cancer Coalition," said Dan Reuland, MD, associate professor of medicine in the division of general medicine and clinical epidemiology and UNC Lineberger member. "With this funding, we will be able to better reach vulnerable populations to increase access to screening tests and ease some of the barriers associated with language, culture and literacy."

Funds will be used to develop a series of multi-media, bi-lingual educational materials as well as provide support from a patient navigator trained to help patients overcome barriers to getting screened. Funding from the Coalition will extend this initiative and build on funding provided by the American Cancer Society awarded in July 2013 to implement a five-year, multi-site project to test interventions designed to reduce colon cancer screening disparities in vulnerable populations.

"We are thrilled to partner with UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and assist them with their efforts to serve these populations," stated Anne Carlson, executive director for the Colon Cancer Coalition. "We look forward to the seeing the strides they can make in reducing some barriers to colon cancer screening."

Get Your Rear in Gear - Raleigh is planned by volunteers from Raleigh Endoscopy Center. The next 5K run/walk in that city is scheduled for Saturday, March 1, 2014. Registration is now open.

About UNC Lineberger

One of only 41 NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers, the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center brings together some of the most exceptional physicians and scientists in the country to investigate and improve the prevention, early detection and treatment of cancer. With research that spans the spectrum from the laboratory to the bedside to the community, UNC Lineberger faculty work to understand the causes of cancer at the genetic and environmental levels, to conduct groundbreaking laboratory research, and to translate findings into pioneering and innovative clinical trials. For more information, please visit UNCLineberger.org .

About the Colon Cancer Coalition / Get Your Rear in Gear

Get Your Rear in Gear® events are presented nationally by the Colon Cancer Coalition, a non-profit organization based in Minneapolis. The events are 100% volunteer-driven in communities throughout the United States. Funds raised Get Your Rear in Gear events across the country stay in local communities to further raise awareness of the disease and bring educational, treatment and preventions opportunities to those who are under-insured or uninsured. To date the Colon Cancer Coalition has distributed over $1.5 million from the Get Your Rear in Gear events back into local communities for colon cancer education, prevention, and screening. By making the words colon, colorectal and colonoscopy a part of the everyday language, we believe we can overcome the fear and decrease deaths from this largely preventable cancer. A history of the organization, upcoming events, and a list of programs receiving funding from the Colon Cancer Coalition can be found at GetYourRearinGear.com .

Photo from left to right: Annette Smith, Get Your Rear in Gear - Raleigh & Raleigh Endoscopy, Elizabeth Green, UNC Lineberger, Dr. Dan Reuland, UNC Lineberger, Dr. Michael Brody, Raleigh Endoscopy, Sandy Holt, Get Your Rear in Gear - Raleigh & Raleigh Endoscopy, Katy Jones, UNC Lineberger

A photo accompanying this release is available at:  http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=21511

Katy Jones, UNC Lineberger 919-962-3405 Erin Peterson, Colon Cancer Coalition 651-247-4023