CBS Airs Live Colonoscopy
CBS co-anchor, Harry Smith is following in Katie Couric’s footsteps by airing his live colonoscopy on Wednesday, March 10, 2010 during “The Early Show."
Couric’s taped colonoscopy created a medical phenomena dubbed the “Couric effect” in 2000 by raising awareness for colorectal cancer. March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.
Smith will be making CBS history becoming the first anchor to have a live colonoscopy broadcasted on network television. Providing friendly support, Couric, CBS Evening News anchor, will join Smith at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Medical Center at Columbia University as he preps for his colonoscopy.
As an NBC Anchor on the “Today” show, Couric hosted a five-part series titled, “Confronting Colon Cancer” in March, 2000. Her taped colonoscopy was aired during the first part of this series on NBC.
Ten years ago, medical researchers were predicting colon cancer death rates could be reduced by 50% with regular colonoscopy screening. Today, 90% of colon cancer patients can expect to survive if colorectal cancer is caught early. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) advocates lifelong colorectal cancer screening in their National Colorectal Cancer Action campaign, “Screening for Life” featuring many celebrities in their print, television and radio advertisements. Couric, Diane Keaton and Jimmy Smits are three well-known celebrities represented in the CDC campaign.
The CDC campaign materials are available on the CDC website for viewing, printing and ordering online in English and Spanish. We can be advocates for colorectal cancer awareness by spreading the word to our friends, co-workers and family about the importance of colorectal cancer screening. Let’s follow the example of Harry Smith and Couric by making an appointment for a baseline colonoscopy procedure, this month.
It’s a matter of life or death
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