03/03/2026
March 2026 marks National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. To bring awareness to CRC, APhA-JAX would like to highlight a meaningful reflection from one of our current pharmacy students:
“Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month is personal to me. 💙
For those who don’t know, my mom went for a routine screening around age 50 (what used to be the recommendation), and her doctor found more polyps than he’d ever seen in one patient. After further testing, she was diagnosed with a genetic mutation on the APC gene, one that I’ve since learned I carry too.
Fortunately, none of the polyps were cancerous, but they showed me just how lifesaving screening can be. After all, colorectal cancer is one of the most preventable cancers when caught early.
As future pharmacists, we can educate, advocate, and encourage patients to get screened. Yes, the prep is tough, but the benefit far outweighs the risk.
By helping patients navigate screening, we can turn awareness into action and prevention. 💙”
- Ashley Trussell, 2PD (Class of 2028)