Fast Facts: A lot of people have the idea that getting screened for colon cancer is messy or embarrassing. Or kind of gross. Some people may think they don’t need to get screened because they are perfectly healthy. Or maybe they just don’t have any risk factors. Whatever your reason […]
“At age 53, John Andretti was the picture of health – still fit from a career in Motorsports, swearing he would always race again and never officially retiring. He was the last person anyone expected to receive a cancer diagnosis, but in January of 2017, his colonoscopy came back positive for cancerous polyps. His diagnosis made him face the decision of either fighting the disease privately or announcing it to the public. He decided that, although this diagnosis is devastating, he would use it to bring awareness to the disease, advocating for proper screening and early detection,” reads the home page of the Checkit4Andretti Foundation. Sadly, John died in January 2020, but his family continues his legacy through the foundation and advocacy work.
Fast Facts: In addition to getting screened, other ways to reduce your risk of getting colon cancer include: staying physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding processed foods, alcohol and tobacco products. How can I avoid getting colon cancer? Over 75% of people who get colon cancer have no identifiable […]
2022 has been an amazing year for CheckIt4Andretti.org! John Andretti’s life and legacy continues to motivate and inspire his family, friends and fans to help those in need. Since achieving 501c3 status in March of 2021, CheckIt4Andretti has established partnerships with NorthEast Digestive Health and The Free and Charitable Clinics […]
Most of us know someone who has battled colon cancer. It’s the third most common type of cancer in the US. And it’s the second most common cause of cancer deaths in men and women combined. Even though colon cancer happens so often, doctors still don’t know exactly what causes […]
March 12, 2022 would have been John Andretti’s 59th Birthday. March also happens to be Colon Cancer Awareness month. To honor John’s legacy, his family started the CheckIt4Andretti Charitable Foundation forging a unique partnership model with NE Digestive Health in Concord, NC and the Free and Charitable Clinics of North […]
My doctor advises that I get a colonoscopy every five years due to a strong family history of the disease. I had postponed making the appointment due to the pandemic, a new job, an ailing father, and other commitments. I had heard of the Andretti family, and specifically, John, through […]
A lot of people want to know “the most likely age” a disease might happen. Getting screened, eating healthy, exercising and minimizing alcohol and tobacco can take some of the joy out of life. Especially if a disease might not strike until later in life. You might think of colon […]
Every American between the ages of 45-75 should be screened for colon cancer. In the last post we talked about how screening tests are used to check for signs of colon cancer before you have any symptoms. Now we’re going to look at the different types of screening tests and […]
There is a lot of confusion about when is the right age to get screened for colon cancer. As a matter of fact, even the experts differed on the best age to recommend screening. That’s why they turned to the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). This is a group […]
When John Andretti was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2017 at the age of 53, he was healthy and active. John had a lot of questions so he turned to experts for answers. John fought valiantly. He went through surgeries, chemotherapy and even tried experimental treatments. But because of the […]
Cancer is one of the scariest words you can ever hear. Nothing will shock you more than when you get that call from the doctor. On November 4th of 2021, I got that call. Life was great! I was 43 years old and in solid health with-an amazing wife and […]
As I was in full preparation mode at a work event, I heard my text alert go off as it often does right in the middle of my busiest moments, BUT this time what I read literally stopped me in my tracks…it was from John. “Just got a call from […]
My love of auto racing was sparked when Mario Andretti signed a napkin for me when I was just two-years-old. Until this year, I have never missed an Indy 500 and have sat through rain, heat, tornados, and two pregnancies to watch my favorite sport. That signature from Mario has […]
CheckIt4Andretti, Northeast Digestive rev up colorectal cancer battle with plan to give diagnostic screenings to high-risk, low-income group Efforts of racing legend’s foundation improve chances of early detection, survival CONCORD, N.C. (March 15, 2022) – Since his tragic death from colorectal cancer in January 2020, John Andretti’s family has been […]