Vanessa Williams and Carmen Marc Valvo Make It Fashionable to Talk About Colon Cancer In New Public Service An...(screened starting at age50 and for those...),Health

"I didn't have any typical symptoms of colon cancer but I just knew something was wrong," says NCCRA Ambassador Valvo. "I insisted on having a colonoscopy and that's part of the reason I'm alive today. Once I was diagnosed, I took an active role in working with my medical team to select the best treatment for me. Become your own champion, like I did, and it could save your life."

Directing the PSA was very personal for Wadlow, who lost his uncle Jay Monahan to the disease 10 years ago. "My aunt Katie Couric has made the fight against colon cancer one of the central commitments in her life. I'm honored to contribute to the work she and the Entertainment Industry Foundation do to make the public aware that colorectal cancer screening saves lives."

The PSA encourages diagnosed patients to be their own advocates and take an active role in working with their healthcare providers. One key to better treatment outcomes may be working with a multidisciplinary team of specialists -- an oncologist, surgeon and gastroenterologist -- in partnership with a primary care physician, to decide the best treatment path.

"We're delighted to work with sanofi-aventis on this PSA that both encourages screening and provides a survivor's perspective on what people facing a colon cancer diagnosis should do to try to ensure the best outcome," said Lisa Paulsen, EIF's president and CEO. "To have stars with the stature of Vanessa and Carmen in our PSA helps make it fashionable to talk about colon cancer, a topic that was considered taboo not long ago. We are incredibly grateful to both of them. Jeff Wadlow is a tremendously talented feature film director; we so appreciate that he and his team volunteered their time to produce the broadcast PSA."

To learn more about colorectal cancer and screening, visit