Every day, one Nova Scotian dies from a disease that is 90% preventable: colorectal cancer. Tragically, Billy Marr, father to my children Noah and Brody, lost his battle with colorectal cancer in 2024 at the young age of 46.

2025 marks the 17th anniversary of Get Up There (GUT), an initiative dedicated to raising funds and awareness for colorectal cancer screening and prevention. Funds raised through GUT allowed the Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation to purchase state-of-the-art equipment and technology for colorectal cancer screening and outfitted a third Endoscopy Suite at Dartmouth General Hospital, used exclusively for screening FIT-positive (Fecal Immunochemical Test) patients, effectively eliminating the waiting list for these individuals.

Last year's GUT campaign supported a public awareness effort aimed at encouraging more individuals to complete and return their FIT tests. Currently, only 40% of individuals who receive the kit complete and return it. Funds raised this year will continue to focus on improving FIT return rates across Nova Scotia. Together, let's make a difference!

https://vimeo.com/9670

Please consider a donation to this important endeavour. ANY amount is appreciated! Thank you for reading, and thank you for your consideration.