Kristin PIckerell shared why she participates in the Walk Away from Colon Cancer & 5K Run:

“I am participating in this event due to my personal connection to colon cancer—my father-in-law was diagnosed with colon cancer at the young age of 47. It was determined that the type of cancer he had was hereditary, so my husband was tested and was also positive for the gene (it’s called Lynch Syndrome or HNPCC type colon cancer). Thankfully my father-in-law did wonderful with his chemotherapy and is healthy today. I want to help raise awareness of how preventable colon cancer is and how screenings can save lives. My husband (age 33) now gets his colonoscopy every 1-2 years due to him having the gene, but the general public should know about the screening standards to improve the screening rates and decrease the amount of colon cancers in the U.S. I am excited to be a part of this event!”

—Kristin Pickerell, Charlestown, Indiana