January 9, 2018 – Authors: The NCCRT Team

Happy new year everyone! As we embark on 2018, we want to take the time to reflect on highlights from NCCRT’s 2017 Annual Meeting, which took place December 6-8, 2017 in Bethesda, MD. During the annual meeting of the NCCRT membership, a collaboration of more than 100 medical, advocacy, government, and corporate organizations focused on delivering quality colorectal cancer screening for those for whom screening is appropriate, meeting attendees conduct strategic planning to advance shared NCCRT goals, while also highlighting the latest knowledge in colorectal cancer screening practice, research, and policy.

The themes of urgency and success were constant throughout the two and a half days, with added focus on determining how to ramp up our efforts to reach 80% of adults ages 50 or older screened regularly for colorectal cancer. The meeting featured presentations by nationally known experts, thought leaders, and decision makers on colorectal cancer screening policy and delivery, with ample opportunity to network and learn from fellow attendees. Additionally, pre-conference activity included an all-day strategy session to address the alarming increase in incidence of early onset colorectal cancers, a growing concern for public health leaders. Other meeting highlights included the opening keynote from Rich Wender, MD, NCCRT chair and the chief cancer control officer at the American Cancer Society, in which he reflected on our progress and challenges in meeting the 80% by 2018 goal; an inspiring call to infuse urgency into our efforts from Erica Sutton, MD, FACS, founder/president, Surgery on Sunday Louisville, Inc.; and a moving reflection on the role that survivors can play in advocacy efforts from Julienne Gede Edwards, stage IV colorectal cancer survivor and grassroots advocacy manager, Fight Colorectal Cancer. Plus, in the great tradition of the 80% by 2018 effort, NCCRT members sang the latest colorectal cancer song, “Eighty,” to the tune of “Hey Jude.”

The meeting was made possible by the generous support of 22 sponsors who contributed more than $75,350 in sponsorships, surpassing our goal of raising $60,000. The National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance and the Colon Cancer Challenge Foundation contributed an additional $20,000 to support the early onset strategy meeting, bringing the total raised to $95,350 overall. Find additional highlights on Twitter using the hashtag #NCCRT2017 and visit the 2017 NCCRT Annual Meeting webpage to view the agenda, including links to many of the presentations. A report on the strategy session on early onset colorectal cancers will be made available in the coming months.

Thank you to all of our members and partners for sharing your energy and passion with us at the meeting and throughout 2017. We’re inspired by the incredible work that you’ve accomplished, and will reflect back on all that we learned as we ramp up our efforts to reach 80% in 2018.

Happy new year from the NCCRT team!