Vanessa Williams and Carmen Marc Valvo Make It Fashionable to Talk About Colon Cancer In New Public Service An...( The EIF's NCCRA/sanofi-aventis P...),Health

The EIF's NCCRA/sanofi-aventis PSA Campaign Released for National

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

LOS ANGELES, March 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Award-winning singer and actress Vanessa Williams and renowned evening wear designer Carmen Marc Valvo, who is a colon cancer survivor, appear in a new public service campaign to educate people about the importance of screening. The PSAs also note that with advances in treatment, more people are surviving colorectal cancer than ever before and highlight the potential benefit of working with a multidisciplinary team of specialists for those who are diagnosed with the disease. Ms. Williams and Mr. Valvo participate in the initiative as volunteer ambassadors for the Entertainment Industry Foundation's National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance (EIF's NCCRA).

This new campaign, which includes both print and broadcast announcements, was created by EIF's NCCRA and sanofi-aventis. The print version of the PSA will appear in major fashion and lifestyle magazines starting in the spring. The 30 and 60 second spots will begin airing this March during National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Director Jeff Wadlow created the spots with the support of the creative team behind his new feature film NEVER BACK DOWN, including Composer Michael Wandmacher, Director of Photography Lukas Ettlin and Editor Debra Weinfeld.

"Colon cancer isn't glamorous, but we have to be vigilant about getting people comfortable with talking about it," says NCCRA Ambassador Williams. "My good friend Carmen is living proof that colorectal cancer is treatable. As a first step, we want to encourage people to talk to their doctors about getting screened."

Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cancer killer in the United States; almost 150,000 Americans are expected to be diagnosed within this year. Yet, this is one of the only cancer types that is often entirely preventable through screening. People should be
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