The blue star symbol signifies the united effort in the battle to prevent colorectal cancer deaths. The symbol is a star, representing the eternal memory of those people whose lives have already been lost to the disease and the shining hope for a future free of colon cancer. The star is merged with the more common ribbon for awareness and assumes a human shape.

The Cause

Colorectal cancer affects about 5% of the population, with up to 150,000 new cases per year in the United States alone. Cancer of the large intestine accounts for 21% of all cancers in the US, ranking second only to lung cancer in mortality in both males and females. It is, however, one of the most potentially curable of gastrointestinal cancers.

A personal or family history of colon and/or rectum cancer or polyps and inflammatory bowel disease have been associated with an increased risk for this type of cancer. Other risk factors include physical inactivity, high-fat and/or low-fiber diet, and an inadequate intake of fruits and vegetables.

Colorectal cancer is preventable if a polyp is removed before it turns into cancer. The best way to prevent colorectal cancer is to get screened by having a colonoscopy. Furthermore, colorectal cancer is treatable and beatable if it's caught in its early stages.

Our Beneficiary

The collaborative efforts of the clinicians and researchers at Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center have led to many advances in the early detection and treatment of colon and rectal cancer. These endeavors promise to translate into better treatment outcomes for all patients.

With your help, we have raised more than $414,000 since 2005 to benefit Johns Hopkins. These funds have been used for a variety of education and outreach initiatives, including: information and emotional support for newly diagnosed colorectal cancer patients; promotion of screening for early diagnosis; salary support for a Health Educator; and a planned survivorship and patient education program. In addition, our efforts have helped to fund research involving molecular genetics of metastatic colorectal cancer as well as clinical outcomes studies of hepatic colorectal metastasis surgery.

We are excited to announce that proceeds from this year’s tournament will be used to create a new immixGroup Foundation Surgical Oncology Fellowship in the Department of Surgery at Johns Hopkins. The fellowship will fund an individual post-doctoral research fellow with the potential to become a leader in the field of academic surgical oncology. This two-year program will incorporate a year of clinical training followed by a year of cancer research (in accordance with the Society of Surgical Oncology’s training program).

To learn how you can support our cause, click here.

For more information about colorectal cancer, including statistics, diagnosis and treatment, visit: