For many years, the media has struggled with how to write about a disease that although it is the most common cancer in Europe is still very much a taboo subject!

There have been various reasons for colorectal cancer being such a difficult subject to write about: the fear and lack of understanding surrounding the disease; the lack of medical developments in the area; the fact that it mainly affected older people, who were not considered newsworthy; and that patients were not, by nature, campaigners, so were unlikely to go to the media with any issues they might have. Not least the fact that colorectal cancer affects a part of the body that is not easy to write about and for many people very embarrassing!

Things began to change in the 21st century, as many more treatments became available and the issues around the disease began to become more high profile, including the need for screening and access to the new revolutionary treatments.

europacolon was established in 2004 and is the first pan European colorectal cancer patient organisation. Europacolon is an independent not-for-profit organisation dedicated to colorectal cancer and aims to unite patients, carers, healthcare professionals, politicians, the media and the public in the fight against the disease.

europacolon believes that the media have a crucial role to play in raising awareness of colorectal cancer and it aims to provide high quality, evidenced based information to our media partners. europacolon aims to be the point of reference for all those concerned about colorectal cancer across Europe. Please do not hesitate to contact us for further information: info@europacolon.com

europacolon have a dedicated group of patients and healthcare professionals who are willing to tell their story and/or talk to the media. These supporters are from across Europe and able to provide a personal, local and national view.

Through this section of the website we aim to:

• Provide a public platform for those who have been affected by colorectal cancer to tell their own personal story
• Provide the media with all the information required to cover current colorectal cancer issues in Europe
• Co-ordinate access to patients, relatives and key opinion leaders across Europe
• Support the media in keeping colorectal cancer high on the European wide agenda
• To encourage and support open discussion of all aspects of the disease, treatments pathways, screening and equitable access to all drug therapies

What europacolon can offer you:

• Provide a Pan European view of the current situation regarding colorectal cancer
• Provide facts and statistics on colorectal cancer
• Put the media in touch with patients and/or medical experts
• Provide information on current clinical trials in Europe
• Provide details of key European organisations working to reduce mortality rates in all cancers