Academy Award-winning actress Diane Keaton urges people to get tested for colon cancer in a new broadcast public service announcement (PSA) launching this summer. Co-produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Entertainment Industry Foundations National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance (EIFs NCCRA), which was co-founded by Katie Couric, the PSAs are part of the CDCs Screen for Life: National Colorectal Cancer Action Campaign. This initiative is a multi-year effort to educate Americans about the importance of regular colorectal cancer screening for men and women age 50 and over.
Keaton had strong personal motivation for appearing in the campaign; the disease claimed the life of her beloved grandmother, Grammy Keaton. Though largely preventable through screening, colorectal cancer is second only to lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. Many people have not been tested; according to CDC research, a staggering 41 million Americans have not been screened appropriately for this cancer. The PSA addresses screening issues head on. Keaton alternates between a subdued tone, speaking poignantly about her grandmother; and an exuberant one, flashing her trademark smile. 'Just get screened ... If I can do it, you can do it; hows that for a deal?' says Keaton, who has been tested for the disease.
This is the second year that EIFs NCCRA has joined forces with the CDC on the Screen for Life campaign. 'The CDCs public health messages have unparalleled credibility, and the entertainment industry can deliver them in the most compelling way possible -- so its a great match,' said EIF President and CEO Lisa Paulsen.
'When Katie Couric asked me to help, she mentioned she had received letters from people who saw her PSAs, got screened, and feel she saved their lives ... and I thought, I have to do this!' Keaton said.
'Diane Keaton is an American icon,' Paulsen continued. 'Its our experience that when someone of her stature speaks, people pay attention. We re very grateful to Diane for volunteering her time to participate, and to Brett Froomer of Radical Media, who did a wonderful job directing the PSA.' The CDC and the National Association of Broadcasters will distribute the PSA to more than 1300 TV stations across the country.
The first collaboration of the CDC/EIF/NCCRA partnership was a 2005 broadcast PSA featuring Academy award-winning actor Morgan Freeman, as well as print PSAs and airport dioramas featuring NCCRA Co-Founder Katie Couric. For more information or to view the PSAs, visit CDCs Screen for Life Web site at www.cdc.gov/screenforlife or the EIF Web site at www.eifoundation.org. For more information in English or Spanish about colorectal cancer screening and prevention, call 1-800-CDC-INFO.
