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MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TN (March 12, 2014) — Milligan College will host the Colossal Colon®, an interactive exhibit that raises awareness about colorectal cancer and other diseases of the colon, on March 24, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Milligan’s McMahan Student Center.
This event, facilitated by the Milligan nursing area, is free and open to the public.
The Colossal Colon® is a 40-foot long, 4-foot tall oversized model of the human colon that is designed to educate audiences. Adults and children alike can crawl through or look through windows to see examples of Crohn’s disease, diverticulosis, ulcerative colitis, hemorrhoids, cancerous and non-cancerous polyps, and various stages of colon cancer.
“This exhibit engages audiences of all ages, drawing attention to colorectal cancer, which is on the rise among young adults,” said Dr. Amy Swango-Wilson, associate professor of nursing at Milligan. “We want visitors to learn more about colorectal cancer prevention, risk, signs and symptoms.”
Colorectal cancer is often found in its late stages, as common symptoms of the disease are mistaken for other medical issues. American Cancer Society shows that cancer in those under 50 has increased by 2 percent each year since 1992.
Inspiration for the exhibit came from a young cancer survivor. The Colossal Colon® is the creation of Molly McMaster, a colon cancer survivor who was diagnosed on her 23rd birthday, with help and support from Glens Falls Hospital in Glens Falls, N.Y. The Colossal Colon® is a project of The Colon Club and is dedicated to the memory of Amanda Sherwood Roberts, who lost her battle with colon cancer at age 27.
The Colossal Colon® was designed and built by Adirondack Scenic Inc., a custom design and fabrication company. Adirondack Scenic artists created each feature from real colonoscopy photographs to ensure that everything is completely realistic. The entire Colossal Colon® is hand-carved and hand-painted. For more information about the Colossal Colon®, visit www.crawlthecolon.com.
The exhibit is sponsored nationally by Genentech, Chris4Life, Hollister, Fuji and Get Your Guts in Gear–The Ride for Crohn’s & Colitis (GYGIG). GYGIG creates and produces a two-day and a one-day ride to raise awareness about Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and the needs of people living with ostomies. For more information about GYGIG, visit www.igotguts.org.
To learn more about Milligan’s nursing area, visit www.milligan.edu.
The Colossal Colon®/”Crawl the Colon” is a project of The Colon Club.