March 2026 Recap
March was a powerful and productive month for the global colorectal cancer (CRC) community, and GCCA was proud to help lead the charge. Throughout CRC Awareness Month, we amplified a critical message across social media platforms: CRC is now the #1 cancer killer of people under 50 in the U.S. and the second leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, but early detection saves lives. That message resonated widely, reaching more than 137,000 people and driving over 18,000 engagements across our channels.
Our Blue Hat Bow Tie campaign once again brought together a truly global community, with 31 organizations across 11 countries participating in grassroots awareness efforts. From community education sessions and screening events to faith-based outreach and social media campaigns, partners around the world turned awareness into action. In South Africa, GCCA’s Regional Director for Southern Africa, Tumi Ramasodi, led an especially impactful series of activities, from delivering an awareness session at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases to training 150 community health workers in Soweto alongside the National Cancer Registry. These efforts are already helping inform policy recommendations to improve screening access nationwide. Tumi also brought this message to a national audience through a live radio interview, while sharing her own CRC journey to underscore the importance of early detection.
Beyond awareness, March was a month of meaningful global engagement and progress. In Mexico, GCCA President Nicole Sheahan met with partners across advocacy, clinical care, research, and policy to address urgent gaps in access to biomarker testing and targeted treatments. The visit sparked real momentum, including a commitment from members of the Mexican Congress to host a policy forum on precision medicine this May. In Brazil, GCCA CEO Andrew Spiegel elevated the patient voice on the global stage with a keynote at the World Medical Association meeting and advanced discussions with member organization, Instituto Oncoguia, on establishing a national CRC screening program.
We also continued to push forward on innovation and patient education. GCCA launched a new HER2 awareness campaign to help patients and caregivers better understand this important biomarker and its role in treatment decisions. Alongside updated content on KnowYourBiomarker.org, we released a fact sheet, patient-provider discussion guide, and social media resources, with a webinar and advocate tools coming soon. We also introduced a new Clinical Trial Finder on the site, making it easier for patients to identify trials tailored to their specific biomarker profile and connect with potentially life-changing research opportunities.
March also brought moments of visibility and connection across the broader cancer community. At the 2026 Cologuard Classic, GCCA was proud to be represented by staff and partners, and to celebrate a special full-circle moment as Tumi Ramasodi, a CRC survivor, participated in the “Pairings with a Pro” event alongside fellow South African and World Golf Hall of Famer Retief Goosen. Seeing a survivor’s name on the course during CRC Awareness Month, at a tournament named after a screening test, was a powerful reminder of why this work matters.
Across the month, GCCA also contributed to key global conversations shaping the future of cancer care. President Nicole Sheahan participated in the Global Oncology Partnership Panel, helping advance dialogue on patient engagement and equitable access to innovation. Nicole also continued her leadership within From Testing to Targeted Treatments (FT3), with participation in the spring board meeting in Zagreb focused on expanding access to precision medicine and scaling successful models globally.
From grassroots action to global policy, March demonstrated the strength and momentum of the CRC community. And we’re already looking ahead, planning for an even bigger and more impactful Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in 2027, with expanded tools, partnerships, and opportunities to engage advocates around the world.