Cancer Awareness Activities: Americas

Olympus in the Americas is active year-round in conducting colorectal cancer awareness activities. These include a variety of activities in each region including partnerships with NPOs and employee-led events, all designed to offer the general public information about colorectal cancer and communicate the importance of early detection and treatment.

• Partnership with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance:
  We support the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, an NPO that conducts colorectal cancer awareness activities in the U.S. Some of their awareness events feature a giant inflatable model of a colon, and our employees also participate in a variety of other events held across the country.
• Partnership with the Colon Cancer Coalition:
  We support colorectal cancer awareness events held across the country in the U.S. by the Colon Cancer Coalition. These include the "Get Your Rear in Gear," a running and walking event intended to raise awareness of colorectal cancer, and the "Tour de Tush", a bicycle tour held to raise funds for education regarding colorectal cancer treatment. Our employees are also active in participating in events held in areas surrounding our sites in the U.S.
• Partnership with Remote Area Medical (RAM):
  We support the colorectal cancer screening support activities of Remote Area Medical (RAM), an NPO that provides medical services in remote areas and mobile medical services.
  RAM’s colorectal cancer screening support program offers free screening (FOBT: Fecal Occult Blood Test) for those too indigent or otherwise unable to undergo colorectal cancer screening, with over 40 clinics across the U.S. participating in the program.
• Dress in Blue:
  On the first Friday of each March, employees at sites across the Americas come to work dressed in blue, the colorectal cancer awareness symbol color, in conjunction with Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month held in March of each year. Photos of employees dressed in blue are posted on the company intranet and on outside social media to communicate prevention and detection information in and outside the company. For each employee who participates in the photo shoot, one dollar is donated to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, an NPO.

Colonoscopy Today

Each November at Olympus in the Americas, many male employees grow a mustache and/or a beard to show their support for "Movember." This event is intended to raise awareness of cancers specific to men, including prostate and testicular cancer, and is a globally recognized cancer awareness charity activity. Funds raised from employees for this event are matched by a gift in the same amount from the company and together are donated to the Movember fund.

Each November, Olympus in the Americas promotes Lung Cancer Awareness Month through communications relating to lung cancer screening guidelines and the role that Olympus’ minimally invasive devices such as bronchoscopes which contribute to the detection of lung cancer. During the Awareness Month, the Social Media team also posts information relating to the benefits of early lung cancer screening.