There's a giant colon in Ogilvie today. With polyps! pic.twitter.com/RrogbkwxCE
— Kelly Bauer (@BauerJournalism) March 29, 2017
DOWNTOWN — There's a giant colon decorating the upper level of Ogilvie Transportation Center on Wednesday.
The colon is pinkish, has polyps on the inside and is large enough for people to walk through. It's meant to raise awareness of colon cancer (March is National Colon Cancer Awareness Month), with people around the colon passing out information about colon cancer and how it can be prevented and treated.
Colorectal cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer-related death in men and women in the United States, and it's estimated that there will be 95,520 new cases of colon cancer this year, according to the American Cancer Society. It's also expected that more than 50,000 people will die from colorectal cancer in 2017, though it can be curable.
The American Cancer Society will raise awareness of cancer and fundraise during Walk & Roll. Participants can walk, run, ride a bike or roller skate to raise money during the event. It starts at 10 a.m. April 22 at Soldier Field, but attendees can register in person starting at 8:30 a.m. on the day of the event or register online.
