Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 41 / Thursday, March 4, 2021 / Presidential Documents 12519 

Proclamation 10152 of March 1, 2021 

National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, 2021 

By the President of the United States of America 

A Proclamation 

For my family, for the Vice President’s family, and for millions of families 

across our Nation, the fight against cancer is personal. Too many of us 

know the sinking feeling of shock and devastation when a loved one receives 

a diagnosis of cancer—too many of us know the unspeakable pain when 

the fight cannot be won. Each year, colorectal cancer claims more than 

50,000 American lives, making it the second leading cause of cancer deaths 

in our Nation. National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month is a chance 

to bring greater attention to this terrible disease and to offer what families 

living through it need most: hope. 

In this battle, hope and awareness are intertwined. Because the risk of 

death from colorectal cancer drops dramatically when the cancer is caught 

early, we can save lives by calling attention to risk factors and increasing 

routine screening. This month is our chance to improve public understanding 

of colorectal cancer risk, inform people about screening recommendations, 

and set our sights on broadening prevention strategies, improving treatments, 

and finding a cure. 

Colorectal cancer can afflict anyone, but the risk is higher among some 

Americans than others. When we lost the trailblazing actor Chadwick 

Boseman to colon cancer last year after a heroic fight, it served as a reminder 

that this disease disproportionately impacts communities of color—and is 

particularly fatal among Black Americans. Age, too, is a factor, as the majority 

of cases occur in people over 50 years old. People with increased risk 

for developing the disease include certain racial and ethnic minority populations, as well as individuals with inflammatory bowel disease, a family 

history of colorectal cancer, or other risk factors such as tobacco use. For 

more information on risk factors, you can visit www.cancer.gov. 

As with so many diseases, the best defense against colorectal cancer is 

early detection. Symptoms can include blood in the stool; stomach pain, 

aches, or cramps that do not go away; and weight loss without a known 

cause. But many cases have no symptoms, especially early in the disease, 

when colorectal cancer is most curable. A recent Government study estimated 

that if all 50-year-old adults were screened for colorectal cancer, we could 

prevent approximately 35,000 deaths. That is why it is so crucial, especially 

for Americans over 50 or otherwise at increased risk, to receive regular 

screenings. And although the disease is relatively rare in younger adults, 

the incidence of colorectal cancer has been rising among this group. No 

matter your age, every American should take possible colorectal cancer 

symptoms seriously and bring them to the attention of your health care 

provider. 

I know how hard it is right now to be mindful of preventive care. The 

COVID–19 pandemic has disrupted so many parts of our lives, including, 

for far too many, the routine checkups and screenings that are so vital 

to guarding against disease. I urge every American to take the precautions 

they need in order to stay vigilant against cancer—don’t delay your recommended screenings, doctor’s visits, and treatments. You and your 

healthcare provider can discuss how to balance the risks and benefits of 


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12520 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 41 / Thursday, March 4, 2021 / Presidential Documents 

cancer screening, taking into account medical history, family history, other 

risk factors, and the time between screenings. 

My Administration is strongly committed to improving the prevention and 

treatment of colorectal cancer, and to giving every American access to quality, 

affordable health coverage. Because of the Affordable Care Act, most health 

insurance plans must cover a set of preventive services with no out-ofpocket cost. This includes colorectal cancer screening in adults age 50 

and older. In response to the COVID–19 pandemic, my Administration also 

announced a Special Enrollment Period for the Health Insurance Marketplace 

now through May 15th, so that millions of uninsured individuals and families 

can sign up for health coverage and gain these protections. I encourage 

you to visit www.healthcare.gov to explore your eligibility and get covered. 

Above all, I want every family facing this fight—and all those that will 

in the future—to know that there is hope. As President, I am committed 

to ending cancer as we know it. That mission motivated me every day 

when I led the Cancer Moonshot Initiative in 2016 to speed up progress 

toward prevention, treatment, and cures. Thanks to that effort, researchers, 

oncologists, care providers, philanthropists, data and tech experts, advocates, 

patients, and survivors have joined forces to double the rate of progress 

toward a cure for cancer. One particular program, Accelerating Colorectal 

Cancer Screening and follow-up through Implementation Science (ACCSIS), 

has made strides to improve colorectal cancer screening, follow-up, and 

referral for care among populations that have low screening rates, including 

communities of color and rural Americans. You can read more about this 

important work by visiting www.cancer.gov and www.cdc.gov/cancer. 

This month, I encourage all Americans to talk to family and friends about 

getting screened. If we look out for one another, we can reduce suffering, 

increase the odds of cancer survival, keep more families whole, and win 

this fight once and for all. 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States 

of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution 

and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 2021 as 

National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. I encourage all citizens, government agencies, private businesses, non-profit organizations, and other 

groups to join in activities that will increase awareness and prevention 

of colorectal cancer. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 41 / Thursday, March 4, 2021 / Presidential Documents 12521 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of 

March, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth. 

[FR Doc. 2021–04644 

Filed 3–3–21; 8:45 am] 

Billing code 3295–F1–P 


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