Many people are uncomfortable talking about cancer, especially colorectal cancer.
Clinton commented as marchers gathered in Washington for a march Sunday to heighten public awareness of colorectal cancer. He acknowledged one of the organizers, Katie Couric of NBC's ''Today'' show, whose husband died of the disease in 1998. He also said the government would launch a new initiative to encourage Medicare beneficiaries to get regular checkups and screenings. Under that initiative, due to begin next year, elderly and disabled people on Medicare will be reminded to undergo screening each time they visit a doctor or to call a toll-free national hot line. More than 56,000 Americans each year die from colorectal cancer.