Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — March is designated as National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal (colon) cancer is the second leading cause of cancer related deaths in the United States.

It is important for everyone to know that colorectal cancer is “preventable, treatable and beatable” and we invite you to help us spread the word.

We hope you will join INSPIRE this year once again in promoting this awareness that could save someone’s life:

1.         Wear blue. Friday, March 2, 2018 is “Wear All Blue” day.

On this day, we ask that you wear blue. The color is the national recognized blue star that represents the eternal memory of the people whose lives have been lost to the disease and the shining hope for a future free of colon cancer.

2.         Take a picture or two. Snap pictures with your group, organization, business, club, department, school or family wearing BLUE and send it to the following email:

s.aoelua-fanene@cancercoalition.as <mailto: s.aoelua-fanene@cancercoalition.as> as a way of supporting colon cancer awareness month.

Your picture(s) will be posted on the American Samoa Community Cancer Coalition FB page to represent a day in March. We are looking for 31 participants or more to represent each day in March.

These are two ‘wear all blue’ day photos — Manulele SPED and the ASDOE OCI — that were posted on the ASCCC Facebook page last year in promoting colorectal cancer awareness.

3.         Read, click like and share.

INSPIRE will post information about colon cancer on their FB page that you can read and share with your family and friends. Let people know that colon cancer is Preventable! Treatable! And Beatable!

This isn’t a competition and no prizes or awards will be given.

We ask that you spend a few minutes to do a good deed in promoting cancer awareness throughout the month of March.

If you have any questions or wish to share ideas of how we can promote colon cancer awareness please email s.aoelua-fanene or call our office at 699-0110.