Mitzvah Project - Colon Cancer Awareness

On Behalf Of Spencer Kaufer:

I will be celebrating my Bar Mitzvah on May 14, 2022. My Mitzvah Project is inspired by two of the most important women in my life. The very different stories of my mother and paternal grandmother clearly prove what will happen when colon cancer is not caught and treated early and what can happen when it is caught and treated early.

Death from colon cancer is preventable. The disease of colon cancer itself cannot be prevented. However, the survival rate for colon cancer is 90% if it is caught and treated in its early stages. Unfortunately, only 40% of colon cancers are being diagnosed in the early stages.

At the age of 68, my grandmother was diagnosed with colon cancer. She had never been screened for colon cancer and, out of fear, ignorance or both, ignored numerous symptoms of colon cancer for a very long time. By this time, the cancer had spread to her entire liver and both of her lungs. We were told that the cancer had likely been growing and spreading for several years before the diagnosis was made.

My mother, on her 48th birthday, was diagnosed with colon cancer. Unlike my grandmother, she went to her doctor with the first sign of a symptom. Although her symptom could have easily been explained away with much more benign medical conditions, her doctor advised her to have a colonoscopy anyway to “just be sure that it was nothing more.” Much to everyone’s surprise a large six-centimeter mass was found in her colon and the pathology confirmed that it was malignant. She immediately had surgery. Miraculously, her tumor classified as Stage I, indicating that there were no signs that the cancer spread beyond the colon.

On April 19, 2022, my grandmother will be dead for eight years. On December 21, 2021, we celebrated my mother being cancer free for four years. One simple test made the difference.

The Colon Cancer Coalition’s focus is on educating the community about the importance of colorectal cancer screening. Since 2004, millions of dollars have been granted by the Colon Cancer Coalition to local programs that promote early prevention, screening and patient support services for this disease. By making the words colon, colorectal and colonoscopy a part of the everyday language, it is believed that we can overcome the stigma and fear and decrease deaths from this largely preventable cancer.

March is colon cancer awareness month. I am committed to raising at least $2,500 by the end of March 2022 to support the efforts of the Colon Cancer Coalition in preventing unnecessary deaths due to late detected colon cancer. Please help me in this important cause and please pass this plea on to anyone and everyone that you feel may be able to help.

Thank you,

Spencer