Laughter Best Medicine for Colon Cancer

No really; it's okay to laugh. We know it's a funny name, and they know it's a play on, well, colon activity. The Colon Club, with its quirky-named fundraiser, Cut the Cheese, is pushing it's way back into the mainstream charitable event arena. Cut The Cheese To Cut Out Colorectal Cancer 2009 (CTC) is The Colon Club's second annual event to raise funds for colorectal cancer awareness in central Arkansas. The event was such a success last year that it will return this month.

Long known for its nationally-recognized Colossoal Colon®, the Colon Club has always taken a light, open approach to talking about colon cancer. However, each individual involved knows the seriousness of the disease and the subsequent lack of awareness around the much taboo subject. The Colon Club was started in 2003 by Molly McMaster, who was diagnosed with stage II colon cancer on her 23rd birthday, and Hannah Vogler, whose cousin and Molly's friend, Little Rock resident Amanda Sherwood Roberts, died from the disease at age 27. Twenty-seven is a far cry from the typical idea that such a cancer usually affects those over 50.

Hannah and Molly's goals are for people to have "colon talk" in their everyday lives and to get screened at a time appropriate for them. So, the gals do "crazy things" to teach that anyone can get colorectal cancer at any age.

"Coco," the abbreviated nickname for the 40-foot long, 4-foot tall crawl-through replica of the human colon, was derived in memory of Amanda Sherwood Roberts.

The event will feature the nationally-known Colossal Colon®, "Toilet Trivia" and a contest and raffle of desserts. All proceeds will support The Colon Club, a nonprofit organization and, ultimately, awareness about colorectal cancer. It will be held February 27 at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church. The party begins at 6:30!

This past year, in addition to producing their annual Colondar (a calendar that boast survivors bearing their scars as monthly models) the group expanded their efforts to a fundraising ride across the Big Dam Bridge in September dubbed "Colorectal Cancer: It's a Big Dam Problem."

As the organization has grown, have the bonds of the current members, survivors and supporters. Without the help of a myriad of volunteers, the organization, like most not-for-profit agencies, simply could not survive. Through a friendship formed from a college alumna group with co-founder Hanna Vogler, Julie Chavis, a Little Rock attorney and wife to Doug Chavis, became involved in CTC after she received an invitation to last year's event. "The invitation made me laugh out loud - you know, cut the cheese, colon cancer - too clever," Julie chuckled.

After she stopped laughing, Julie's first thought was to invite her friend, Mandy Abernethy, to go with her to the event. Mandy had been diagnosed with colon cancer eleven years earlier and had been successfully treated. "Plus," Julie adds, "she has a great sense of humor and enjoys a good joke." As soon as Hannah found out that Mandy is a colon cancer survivor, she invited Mandy to be a part of the picture gallery on display at CTC. For Julie, it's additionally meaningful to raise awareness about the disease as she has other friends, including Sue Marcus and the late Joe Malone, who suffered from colorectal cancer.

"Colorectal cancer and its symptoms are hard to talk about, but the Colon Club is committed to using humor to diffuse a sometimes embarrassing situation," Julie remarked. "They disseminate life-saving information."

After CTC 2007, Julie and Mandy decided to volunteer for this year's event. Unfortunately, Mandy has had to bow out because she is fighting her second battle with colon cancer. Julie is not despondent, however, and quipped "of course, this has strengthened my resolve to be involved with the Colon Club and with CTC. Call it a gut reaction," she said, then whispering, "sorry, just couldn't resist!"