Victory Lap awareness walk in Houston this Saturday to fight colon cancer

HOUSTON - Ready, set – mark your calendars! Saturday is the Victory Lap – an awareness walk and campaign to fight colon cancer.

The event is organized by the Push Up Foundation, founded by Keith Rollins, a colon cancer survivor.

Three of the participants—Keith Rollins, Steve Brammer, and Sergeant Robert Oppermann—are all survivors sharing their stories to encourage early screening.

The Victor Lap in The Heights

The Victory Lap will take place on Saturday, March 1, at Highline Park in The Heights in Houston.

Everyone in the Greater Houston area is invited to join the event to not only show their support for colon cancer awareness but to engage in meaningful conversations about the importance of health screenings. After the run/walk there will be a live band, food, and entertainment.

Push Up Foundation raises awareness of colon cancer screening

The backstory:

Keith Rollins founded the Push Up Foundation to raise awareness about the importance of colon cancer screening, especially after his own experience with the disease.

His foundation’s name reflects his journey through cancer treatment and his mission to "push up" the age for colonoscopies, and he says laughingly a colonoscopy reflects "push up". Steve Brammer is a marathon runner, who was diagnosed with colon cancer after a bowel obstruction in 2011.

He encourages others to get colonoscopies early, stressing that early detection could have changed his outcome.

Sergeant Robert Oppermann was diagnosed with late-stage colon cancer after battling to get a colonoscopy during the pandemic. He underwent multiple rounds of chemotherapy and surgery and remains hopeful.

What they're saying:

"You can google to get colonoscopy, and it will say 50, but that's not true—it's 45. So we have to get people with the right mindset, push up that age, don't wait. If you're over 45 and haven't done it, go in and knock it out," encourages Rollins.

"I was running all these marathons, I felt like I was Superman, man, my health is so good. I'll never have any kind of problem. I don't need to take a colonoscopy. That doesn't sound too pleasant. But now, had I done the colonoscopy, I think the outcome would have been much better," states Brammer.

"You've got to push forward. It's faith, family, loved ones, but you know they see you through," says Sergeant Oppermann.

Dig deeper:

Learn more about the Push Up Foundation and how you can get involved by visiting their website: https://www.pushupfoundationhouston.org

Early screening can save lives

Why you should care:

Colon cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, but it remains deadly if detected too late. Early screening can save lives. These men’s personal stories highlight the importance of early colon cancer screenings, even for those who feel healthy or are reluctant to undergo the procedure. The Victory Lap aims to reach people with the message: Don't wait, take action now to safeguard your health.

By the numbers:

The recommended age for colonoscopy screening has dropped to 45 from 50.

According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 150,000 people will be diagnosed with colon cancer in the U.S. this year.

The NIH reports more than 50,000 people will lose their lives to it this year.

The 5-year survival rate from 2014-2020 was 65%.

Big picture view:

Colon cancer doesn't discriminate by age, fitness, or lifestyle. It affects people from all walks of life, as seen in the stories of Keith Rollins, Steve Brammer, and Sergeant Robert Oppermann.

The Victory Lap serves as a reminder of the power of early detection and the strength of community support in overcoming serious health challenges.

She found statistics at https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/colorect.html