CheckIt4Andretti Patient and Partners Featured in UICC's Series Rewriting Cancer Produced by BBC Storyworks Commercial Productions

The CheckIt4Andretti Foundation is honored to have one of its healthcare partners and one of our patients featured in UICC’s series Rewriting Cancer produced by BBC Storyworks Commercial Productions.

The series launched on September 17, 2024 and was promoted at the World Cancer Congress. Made in conjunction with the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) the short, easy to understand five-minute films highlight the advances being made in the fight against all types of cancer, around the world. 

One film in the series tells the inspirational story of Gladys Dykes, who is the recipient of a CheckIt4Andretti foundation colonoscopy grant. Gladys received an at-home FIT (fecal immunochemical test) at no-cost from CI4A partner Polymedco. The test came back abnormal! Luckily, Gladys didn’t have to worry about what to do next. 

Another CI4A Foundation partner, Dr. Vinay Patel at NE Digestive Health in Concord, NC stepped in to make sure Gladys received the care she needed. Using funds from CI4A Foundation, Dr. Patel could provide Gladys with a colonoscopy at no cost to her. Fortunately, Dr. Patel was able to see the large mass that caused Gladys to have an abnormal FIT test and it was removed.

Heartbreakingly, Gladys lost her husband of 16 years to colon cancer a few years ago. When she had an abnormal FIT, Gladys was afraid she might be on the same path as her husband. 

In the film, Dr. Patel explains how colon cancer, “Can be a silent disease,” meaning it may not have symptoms. The FIT is an at-home screening test that looks for blood in the stool, which could mean different gastrointestinal problems like colitis, polyps, and colorectal cancer. Since Gladys had a positive FIT, her doctor referred her for a colonoscopy which is an exam used to look for changes in the large intestine (colon) and rectum.

Gladys’ story has a very happy ending. Even though she didn’t have any symptoms, a safe, easy to use at home FIT alerted Gladys’ doctor to take action. A colonoscopy from our partners at NE Digestive Health found a cancerous mass at the end of her colon. The mass was removed, and Gladys is colon-cancer free and cured!

John Andretti’s legacy lives on through the CheckIt4Andretti Foundation. With our invaluable partners like Polymedco and NE Digestive Health, CI4A is saving precious lives like Gladys’ everyday.

If everyone gets checked with a screening test, we can wipe out colon cancer. Gladys got checked at her annual exam. You should get checked too! Check it for the people you love. Check it for the people who love you. CheckIt4Andretti!


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