One day each year, Cardinal fans can shed their red for a worthy cause.

On Friday, March 7, the Kentucky Cancer Program at the University of Louisville will again sponsor “Blue of L Day” at the James Graham Brown Cancer Center and other Dress in Blue Day activities for colon cancer screening awareness as part of the sixth annual nationwide campaign.

Events will feature UofL basketball legend Darrell Griffith, the Voice of the Cards Paul Rogers and Madeline Abramson, honorary chair of Dress in Blue Day for Kentucky and wife of Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson.

Participants also will see the “Incredible Colon,” a 20-foot long, 10-foot tall, walk-through replica of the human colon that provides images to educate the public about colorectal cancer. A Facebook photo contest is underway throughout March as well.

Events for Dress in Blue Day in Louisville include:

• 9 a.m.: Doss High School, 7601 St. Andrews Church Road – Abramson will visit the high school where the Incredible Colon will be on display for tours with students, faculty and staff.  A colon cancer survivor will address the all-school assembly of more than 1,200 students and faculty. The Doss mascot is the Dragon, and students are donating $1 for “Blue Dragons” in honor of a loved one who is a cancer survivor or is fighting the disease. Each Blue Dragon will be displayed in the school cafeteria. The school’s art classes also have designed special blue t-shirts for everyone to wear.
• 10 a.m.: Stonestreet Elementary School, 10007 Stonestreet Road – Abramson will visit with students and speak about the need for early colon cancer screening
• Noon: Blue of L Day, James Graham Brown Cancer Center, 529 S. Jackson St. – Griffith and Rogers will join with Abramson at the cancer center to visit with patients and distribute “Dress in Blue” t-shirts.

Area businesses are participating as well. The Kentucky Cancer Program is providing blue ribbons for “Gallopalooza” horses displayed at the following locations: Brown Cancer Center, Louisville Courier-Journal, Derby City Vending, Eye Care Institute, MPI Printing, Vincenzo’s Italian Restaurant, WHAS-TV and WLKY-TV.

On Facebook, the Kentucky Cancer Program encourages everyone across the Commonwealth to share their Dress in Blue Day photos. Individuals or groups can take a photo of their event and email it with the contest entry form to the Kentucky Cancer Program representative in their area. For complete information, visit the Kentucky Cancer Program-West Facebook page.

Dr. Donald Miller, director of the James Graham Brown Cancer Center, said, “Colon cancer screening can save lives.  Nine out of ten colon cancers can be prevented or cured if detected early.”

“I've been screened for colon cancer,” UofL President James Ramsey said, “and I join Dr. Miller in encouraging everyone age 50 and over to schedule an appointment.”

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in Kentucky, claiming the lives of approximately 900 people each year. Dress in Blue Day highlights the problem and encourages people age 50 and older to get screened for colon cancer regularly.

For information, contact the Kentucky Cancer Program at 502-852-6318.

About the Kentucky Cancer Program: The Kentucky Cancer Program is the state mandated cancer control program jointly administered by the University of Louisville (West Region) and the University of Kentucky (East Region). At UofL, the program is sponsored by the James Graham Brown Cancer Center, a part of KentuckyOne Health. The mission of the Kentucky Cancer Program is to reduce cancer incidence and mortality by promoting cancer education, research and service. For more information, visit our website or call 502-852-6318.