Olympus Presents the Fifth Tour de Tush® - Allentown

The Colon Cancer Coalition's Leading Bike Event Raises Vital Funding for Cancer Screening

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Jun 06, 2019, 12:27 ET

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. and ALLENTOWN, Pa., June 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Olympus Corporation of the Americas presents the fifth annual Colon Cancer Coalition Tour de Tush – Allentown on Saturday, June 8. More than 300 cyclists, volunteers, colorectal cancer survivors, and caregivers will join together in the fight against the nation's No. 2 cancer killer: colon cancer, and raise more than $40,000. This family-friendly 10, 30, or 60-mile (metric century) bike ride is planned to raise awareness and encourage screening for this largely preventable cancer.

More than 300 cyclists, volunteers, colorectal cancer survivors, and caregivers will join together in the fight against colon cancer at the fifth annual Colon Cancer Coalition Tour de Tush – Allentown on Saturday, June 8. Olympus Corporation of the Americas is the presenting sponsor.

All routes start and end at Grange Park (360 Grange Rd) in Allentown, beginning at 8 a.m. Participants will finish the race by riding through a giant inflatable colon, which shows what a doctor sees during a colonoscopy – from the appearance of a healthy colon wall, to a polyp progressing from benign to stage IV colorectal cancer. The Blue Mile near the finish pays tribute to those lost and features messages honoring survivors of colon and rectal cancer.

The Allentown ride was initiated by colon cancer survivor Gale Fritsche with support from the Colon Cancer Coalition, a national organization hosting over 40 events annually across the country to educate and raise funds for colorectal cancer screening and prevention. Money raised through Tour de Tush - Allentown will be granted by the Colon Cancer Coalition to build and fund programs aimed at increasing screening and early detection of the disease. Since 2016, the Colon Cancer Coalition has invested over $35,000 for colorectal cancer screening and public awareness campaigns.

"A colonoscopy saved my life," says Fritsche, volunteer event director for Tour de Tush – Allentown. "I was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer during my first colonoscopy at age 50. As a marathoner and avid cyclist, I knew I wanted to do something to bring awareness and raise money for screening in my community. I hope that by hosting this event and talking about my cancer journey, I can get more people to talk about colon health, increase screening, and save lives."

Gale's story is captured on video here, as part of Olympus' celebration of its 100^th Anniversary: https://youtu.be/CrPNb-h3ZXQ.

Colon cancer factsⁱ:

1 in 23 Americans will be diagnosed with colon cancer during their lifetime.
51% of adults 50-54 have not been screened.
The American Cancer Society encourages colorectal cancer screening start at age 45.
Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer incidence and death in young adults under 50 in the United States (National Center for Biotechnology Information at the National Institute of Health).
1 in 5 colorectal cancer patients are 20-54 years old.

"We at Olympus are honored to be the presenting sponsor of the Tour de Tush – Allentown and to ride along with those who have survived or are dealing with colorectal cancer diagnosis and treatment, including some of our own employees and our friend Gale Fritsche," said Nacho Abia, President of Olympus Corporation of the Americas. "Olympus employee pride comes in no small part from the fact that the number of colon cancer survivors today is now over one million."

Registration for the Tour de Tush - Allentown is available online at ColonCancerCoalition.org/Allentown.

About the Colon Cancer Coalition / Tour de Tush^®The Colon Cancer Coalition is a non-profit organization based in Minneapolis, Minn. dedicated to encouraging screening and raising awareness of colorectal cancer. The organization's signature Get Your Rear in Gear^® and Tour de Tush^®event series are volunteer-driven in communities throughout the United States. Money raised at these events are granted back into local communities to help will build and sustain programs and research encouraging early prevention, screening, and patient support for this disease. By making the words colon, colorectal and colonoscopy a part of the everyday language, we believe we can overcome the fear and decrease deaths from this largely preventable cancer. For more information visit ColonCancerCoalition.org.

About Olympus Corporation of the Americas
Olympus is a global technology leader, crafting innovative optical and digital solutions in medical technologies; life sciences; industrial solutions; and cameras and audio products. Throughout our 100-year history, Olympus has focused on being true to society and making people's lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling every day. Olympus Corporation of the Americas (OCA)—a wholly owned subsidiary of Olympus Corporation in Tokyo, Japan—is headquartered in Center Valley, Pennsylvania and employs more than 5,300 employees throughout locations in North and South America. For more information, visit olympusamerica.com and truetolife.com. Olympus…True to You. True to Society. True to LIFE.

ⁱ Colon Cancer Coalition. Get the Facts About Colon Cancer. Accessed May 30, 2019. https://coloncancercoalition.org/get-educated/what-you-need-to-know/colon-cancer-facts/

SOURCE Olympus Corporation of the Americas