Giant Inflatable Colon Coming to the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life/Lake Forest.

Persuading people to get a colonoscopy shouldn’t be hard, but many people are embarrassed, frightened or grossed out by the procedure. A colonoscopy is about a 30-minute procedure in which a patient is sedated.

The American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life/Lake Forest will feature a gigantic replica of the colon on loan from the University California Irvine at Relay For Life to create awareness of colorectal cancer. Nolan the Colon is 20 feet wide, 12 feet high and 10 feet long.

The free event will be held at the Lake Forest Sports Park, 28000 Rancho Parkway, Lake Forest, CA 92610 on Saturday, July 30, 2016 at 10 am to Sunday, July 31 at 10 am.

Come walk through “Nolan the Colon,” an interactive, giant colon that depicts the good, the bad, the healthy and non-healthy polyps, plus it illustrates the various stages of disease.

It also has explanations of normal colon tissue, Crohn’s Disease, colon cancer and advanced colon cancer.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and the most preventable cancer in the United States, but it doesn’t have to be. The American Cancer Society recommends

that most people start screenings at age 50 or earlier if there is a family history of cancer.

Healthcare professionals recommend a colonoscopy every 10 years, exercise regularly, eat more fruits, vegetables and legumes and less red meat in the diet. A colonoscopy is done when a doctor inserts a tube-like scope/camera into the patient's rectum to check the entire colon for cancerous or precancerous growths.

ACS predicts 93,090 new cases of colon cancer this year and nearly 40,000 cases of rectal cancer. It is expected to cause about 49,700 deaths this year.

With early detection and screening precancerous polyps and abnormal growths of the colon and rectum can be removed before turning into cancer.

Most colorectal cancers start as a polyp which is a growth that starts in the inner lining of the colon or rectum and grows toward the center. Most polyps are not cancer. Only certain types of polyps called adenomas can become cancerous.

Symptoms can include bloody stools, persistent stomach pain or irregular bowel movements that don't go away.

Don’t miss this eye-catching, must-see attraction that shows you what happens inside the colon. What’s in Your Colon? Have you checked lately.

For more information and to register for the event go www.relayforlife.org/lakeforestca or www.facebook.com/LakeForestRelay/. If you have any questions, please call Cheryl Bartetzko/Event Lead at 949-981-8129 or email at chspeak@cox.net.

Please join us for Relay and walk a lap or two to see it for your selves. Feel free to contact Margot Ferron, 949/309-1235 or gomargotgo@aol.com.