Vol. 2 No. 3: CRC Awareness and Lowering Screening for CRC in Canada
This issue may be especially relevant if you are interested in the latest efforts to address the increasing risk of early age onset CRC in Canada.
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Dear Thriver,
As many in our community know, March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. If you’re like me, your inbox has been filled with reminders and campaigns. While important, I also want to acknowledge that for many of us, these messages can feel heavy. We are, after all, a community that is already deeply aware.
This month may land differently for each of us. For me, March also marks the anniversary of my diagnosis on March 29, 2016, which is why our team has chosen to share this issue today—with intention and reflection.
By sending this newsletter at the end of the month, we are also able to highlight the work our team has done to honour this month of awareness, along with research supporting an important advocacy initiative in Canada to lower the age for colorectal cancer screening.
Thank you for being part of this community, and for the many ways you contribute to awareness and action —throughout March and beyond.
With gratitude,
🎞️ A-to-Z-and-3-2-1-of-CRC
In honour of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, our team took on a challenge we’re calling A-to-Z-and 3–2–1-of-CRC. We created one reel per day and focused on one key term at a time. In the spirit of The Digest, the goal was simple: to break down CRC terms into clear, approachable explanations — helping make this space a little less overwhelming, one concept at a time.
You can find the full series across our social media platform. If you know someone who might find them helpful, we’d be so grateful if you shared with them.
🍽️ The Digest: New research points to benefits of starting CRC screening at 45 in Canada
Year published: March 2026
Study by: Researchers across Canada
How this research was done: Researchers analyzed decades of Canadian cancer data to track trends in CRC. They then simulated different screening scenarios to see what might happen if screening started at age 45 instead of 50, including effects on cancer cases, deaths, and healthcare costs.
What they found: Screening at age 45 instead of 50 could:
- Prevent ~15,000 CRC cases
- Avoid ~6,100 deaths from CRC
- Reduce healthcare costs by $233 million CAD across all people eligible for screening
Why I found this study important: With early age-onset CRC rising in Canada, I couldn’t have imagined a more perfectly timed publication—coming out this March, it provides fresh evidence to support lowering the screening age for CRC from 50 to 45.
🏆Celebrating award-winning research by our team
Our Media Specialist, Joy, has been exploring conversations about cancer and mental health on Instagram. On March 21st, she presented her research at the University of British Columbia Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Research Conference—and earned an impressive 2nd place out of more than 400 presenters! This exciting achievement highlights the impact of combining social media insights with rigorous research. We can’t wait to share more about Joy’s research in an upcoming edition of The Digest.
🏃➡️ Join us at the BumRun!
I’m proud to share that I will be serving as a Champion for the 2026 Vancouver BumRun. As I celebrate the 10th anniversary of my CRC diagnosis, I’ve set a personal fundraising goal of $10,000 to support the vital work of the Colorectal Cancer Resource & Action Network (CCRAN). CCRAN continues to make a meaningful difference for CRC patients in Canada and around the world.
I invite you to join and/or support my team as we work together to reach this goal and advance support for our CRC community.
🙋 Our colleague needs input on patient resources for sex after cancer - Please help?
Sexuality is complex and depends on a number of interconnected physical, psychological, and relational factors – all of which are affected by cancer and its treatment. Leading experts at the University of Calgary are developing an informational resource hub for patients, partners, and healthcare providers. The website will offer evidence-based resources on a range of sexual health concerns commonly experienced after cancer diagnosis and treatment. They are seeking your input about what content would be most valuable to you! Survey is open until April 30th.
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That's it for today!
👋 Before you go, we'd love to know what you thought of today's newsletter to help us improve the Digest experience for you.
Hit reply to let us know. Was it too hard to follow? Too long, didn't read it all? Leave you with more questions? Let us know! We read every response.
Talk soon,
Mary, Alexander, and Joy — The Colorectal Cancer Research Digest editorial team
