Patients Join Olympus Corp. of the Americas to Share Their Stories and Raise Awareness Around Colorectal Cancer

March Marks Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. (March 10, 2026) - As a founding member of the band Braid, Chris Broach spent decades performing and traveling the world. But in December 2019, he was forced to hit pause.

Chris was experiencing pain and discomfort on the left side of his abdomen. A scan revealed diverticulitis that improved after antibiotics. His doctor also recommended a colonoscopy to check for diverticulosis in his colon.

"I almost skipped the colonoscopy," Chris said.

But he did have that colonoscopy, which later revealed Stage 3 rectal cancer at age 44.

"I just had another colonoscopy that was clear," Chris said. "I'm lucky to be here."

During Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in March, Chris is joining with Olympus Corporation of the Americas to share his story to help raise awareness around the importance of following through on screening recommendations and paying attention to possible symptoms of colorectal cancer (CRC).

Colorectal Cancer Deaths on the Rise
A recently published study looking at cancer deaths in people under 50 in the United States found that the overall death rate has fallen over the last three plus decades. But among the five leading causes of cancer deaths - leukemia and brain, breast, colorectal and lung cancers - only CRC deaths have increased annually since 2005.¹

In fact, CRC is now the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and women under the age of 50, which had been the fifth-leading cause in the 1990s.¹

Don't Be Afraid to Talk to Your Doctor
When the doctor first recommended a colonoscopy, Chris said he didn't think he needed one because he had been feeling better.

What followed his diagnosis was radiation, surgery, a temporary ileostomy, regular CT scans and chemotherapy that led to a heart attack. The cancer spread which led to surgery in 2022 to remove 10 percent of his left lung.

Chris, now 49, said he recalls some blood in his stool, which he dismissed as "nothing major" and didn't recognize as a possible CRC symptom. He's reflected on a previous suggestion from his physician to consider taking a stool-based screening test, a suggestion that he didn't think was necessary at the time.

"I want to tell my story so that people understand what they could face if they don't pay attention to what their bodies might be telling them," Chris said. "Make sure you get recommended screenings. If you see signs and symptoms, don't be afraid to see your doctor. You'd rather know early than to know too late."

Read more about Chris' story on the Olympus blog, The Peak.

Let's Talk About Your Health
Dr. Neil Parikh, chief of gastroenterology at Hartford Hospital and chief innovation officer with CTGI, sees a lack of communication and a level of discomfort with certain health topics as hurdles to prevention. People are willing to talk openly about issues like their heart health, diabetes and ongoing struggles with weight, he said, but we are just not comfortable talking openly about our GI problems.

Too often, people ignore symptoms, such as unexplained fatigue and weight loss, a consistent change in bowel habits and blood in the stool, Dr. Parikh said. He considers blood in the stool as the most common symptom and one that is often dismissed as hemorrhoids or the result of something eaten.

Understanding the connection between family health history and preventive care can be and is often overlooked, according to Dr. Parikh, noting that some of his patients who undergo a colonoscopy that turns up polyps make the connection only then that a family member had similar GI issues.

"As we see a steady increase in early onset colorectal cancer, it's more important than ever to pay attention to your body and not overlook possible symptoms," Dr. Parikh said. "Don't be afraid to have potentially uncomfortable conversations. Ask your parents about their colonoscopies, tell your kids about your screening results and talk to your friends about the right age to get screened."

'Poster Child' for Preventive Screenings
When Haleema Burton turned 45, the recommended screening age for a person at average risk for CRC had just been lowered from 50 to 45. Having seen commercials about the new screening age, Haleema decided to be proactive about her health and scheduled her first colonoscopy. Her timing couldn't have been better.

Her gastroenterologist removed a polyp from her colon that would reveal cancer cells and a Stage 1 CRC diagnosis. Haleema, who underwent a successful sigmoidoscopy, said her surgical oncologist described her as a "poster child" for preventive screening. The cancerous polyp was found so early that Haleema didn't require chemotherapy, radiation or additional surgeries. She now undergoes an annual screening colonoscopy.

Haleema said the experience started conversations with her family that she'd never had. She learned that aunts and uncles had undergone colonoscopies that turned up polyps, which led to conversations with younger family members about family health history and the importance of screenings.

It's also prompted more open conversations with friends about what can be an uncomfortable topic. Given her lack of symptoms, healthy lifestyle and no family history of CRC, Haleema said it's that much more critical to stress the importance of preventive screenings especially in the absence of any symptoms.

"Had I not followed the guidelines of getting screened at 45, I don't know if I would even be here or if I would be in a different situation," she said. "We caught it at the right time."

Visit colonoscopytoday.com for more information on colorectal cancer and colonoscopy.

Chris Broach and Haleema Burton's statements are their own and are based on their experiences. You should speak to your doctor regarding your care as your doctor is your best source for information.

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About Olympus
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For more than 100 years, Olympus has pursued a goal of contributing to society by producing products designed with the purpose of delivering optimal outcomes for its customers around the world. Visit olympusamerica.com for more information.

ⁱ Siegel RL, Wagle NS, Jemal A., "Leading Cancer Deaths in People Younger Than 50 Years." JAMA. Published online January 22, 2026. doi:10.1001/jama.2025.25467