A Project of the Washington CARES About Cancer Partnership

 Why Screen for Colon Cancer?  What is 80% by 2018?  What is the Employer Challenge?  Your Steps to Success.  Tools and Other Resources.

 Anyone can get colon cancer - 3rd most commonly diagnosed cancer - 2nd leading cause of cancer death  Screening can save lives but only if people get tested - Screening tests can prevent colon cancer or find it early, when treatment works best - 1 in 3 adults ages years old are not screened - If caught early, survival rate (5 year) = 90% - Only 40% of cases diagnosed at this stage - If caught late, survival rate (5 year) = 13% Lifetime risk of developing colon cancer: 1 in 20

 Regular screening, beginning at age 50, is the key  Colon cancer almost always develops from precancerous polyps  Screening tests can find precancerous polyps, so that they can be removed before they turn into cancer.

 National initiative lead by the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable focusing on eliminating colon cancer as a major public health problem.  Shared goal of reaching 80% of adults, age 50 and older, screened for colon cancer by  Employers can play a key role in promoting colon cancer screening.  By working together, we can prevent more cancers and save more lives than we would by acting alone.

 The Employer Challenge allows employers to play a key role in reaching the 80% by 2018 goal.  Add your name to the list of 200+ organizations that have made the pledge.  Engage your employees and community through education and activities.  You can help us reach the 80% goal (current rate: 64%).

Why reach out to employers?  160 million Americans (50%) have health insurance through corporate health plans.  Direct medical expenses and indirect costs related to cancer cost employers thousands of dollars each year. For more information: C-Change, MAKING THE BUSINESS CASE: How Engaging Employees in Preventive Care Can Reduce Healthcare Costs, Spring 2008 Total cost$216.6 billion Direct medical costs (total of all health expenditures) $86.6 billion Indirect mortality costs (cost of lost productivity due to premature death) $130.0 billion

Commit: Sign the pledge and enroll in the Employer Challenge. Learn: Know your baseline screening rates and background information on screening coverage under your company’s insurance plan(s). Promote: Utilizing the provided toolbox, promote screening to employees at least twice per year. Track: Track your screening rate annually and share with your project contact each year in June.* Share: Talk about the great work you are doing, share your ideas and successes with your employees, the community and your project contact.

Employer Tip : A great way to augment any activity is to use employee testimonials!

 Print Materials (postcards, flyers, etc.)  Information on Colon Cancer  Sample Workplace Policies  80% By 2018 Information  Infographics and Posters  Social Media Messaging  Sample Action Plans  Templates Visit the online 80% by 2018 Employer Challenge website at There you will find the enrollment forms and the Employer Challenge Toolbox, which includes:

Megan Ashbaugh American Cancer Society Steven Garrett Washington State Department of Health Emily Butler Washington State Department of Health Anita Mitchell Isler Colon STARS For more information, contact: