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#ECCAM15 - Everybody Deserves the Next Day

Week 1

In 2008 EuropaColon established the month of March as European Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month (ECCAM). Since then, every year different activities are carried out across Europe in order to raise awareness of colorectal cancer (CRC ) – a disease that is both preventable and treatable! The aim of ECCAM is that together with our Affiliate and Associate groups we will help to save many lives.

Many people do not realise that CRC is the third most common cancer in men (746,000 cases, 10.0% of the total) and the second in women (614,000 cases, 9.2% of the total) worldwide. It is alarming when you realise that worldwide, every minute there are 3 people diagnosed with CRC. On average, your risk of being diagnosed with the disease is about 1 in 20 although this varies widely according to individual risk factors. 90% of all cases diagnosed occur in people who are 50 or older however there is an increasing number of young adults being diagnosed with CRC every year. Studies have also shown that obesity is directly linked to an increased risk of CRC. What is striking is that half of EU citizens are overweight. The rate of obesity has doubled over the past 20 years in many European countries with the number of overweight individuals in Europe increasing by 1 million every year!!

Healthy eating is not about strict dietary limitations. You do not need to be unrealistically thin, or deprive yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it is about feeling great, having more energy, and stabilizing your mood. The goal of healthy eating is to develop a diet that you can maintain for life, not just for a few weeks or months, or until you've hit your ideal weight. Fruit and vegetables are the foundation of a healthy diet. They are low in calories and rich in nutrients, which means they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fibre. Try to reduce the amount of red meat and processed meat that you eat each week and eat plenty of fibre. Remember you are much more likely to develop good new lifestyle habits if you change what you do just a little at a time.

There are some bad habits however that are directly linked to the chances of being diagnosed with CRC as well as other diseases. Smokers are more likely to be affected by this disease than non-smokers and a high consumption of alcohol is thought to increase the risk as well.


Exercising is vitally important but it does not have to be an all-or-nothing proposition. You do not have to spend hours in a gym or force yourself into a series of monotonous, painful activities that you hate, in order to experience the physical and emotional benefits. Adding just a little physical activity to your weekly routine can have a profound effect on your mental and emotional health. Exercising moderately for 30 minutes, five times a week is one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental health. You don’t need to be a fitness fanatic or gym rat to reap the rewards. Research has shown that mild to moderate activity is enough to change your life for the better. Moderate activity means: that you breathe a little heavier than normal, but are not out of breath. For example, you should be able to chat with your walking partner, but not easily sing a song.

It’s important to remember that there are ways to reduce your risk of CRC by following these easy steps: CRC Prevention