Cancer de colon

It was the cancer too embarrassing to talk about. The cancer that claimed some 56,600 lives in the United States last year and will be diagnosed in 130,000 people this year. The cancer that is 90 percent curable--if caught early. Fortunately, NBC's "Today" co-anchor Katie Couric has pledged to remove the stigma surrounding colon cancer and to make it a disease to talk about and prevent.

When her husband, TV legal analyst Jay Monahan, died in 1998 at age 42 from colon cancer, Couric turned her grief into a springboard for action against the disease. Through her dedicated efforts, doctors are hearing the words, "I'm here because of Katie Couric," and "This is the thing to do." Earlier this year, Couric hosted a weeklong series, "Confronting Colon Cancer," to help demystify the disease; she even underwent a colonoscopy herself--on the air. The success of this extraordinary event sent extraordinary numbers of people to their physicians requesting colon cancer screenings and cast light on the widespread killer that many were hesitant to talk about or take steps to prevent.

And when the calls began coming in--5,500 after the show--she told an interviewer, "I couldn't be happier."

To date, Couric and her associates have raised more than $10 million to aid colon cancer researchers through such events as Katie Couric's October "Rock 'n Roll" 5K run for colon cancer, which rocked D.C. this year.

Only two years after her husband's death, however, Couric is also facing another family health crisis. Her sister, Virginia State Senator Emily Couric, is battling pancreatic cancer.

Last July, cyclist Lance Armstrong received his second congratulatory call from the White House after winning the grueling 2,000-plus-mile Tour de France--for the second year in a row. But the road to glory for the Texas native has not always been a smooth ride. In October 1996, Armstrong was diagnosed with advanced testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs and abdomen. His remarkable recovery shed national light on the disease--the most common cancer in men ages 15 to 35. If detected early, testicular cancer is one of the most curable forms of cancer, with cure rates exceeding 90 percent. Armstrong, however, ignored the warning signs.

"Had I been more aware of the symptoms, I believe I would have seen a doctor before my condition had advanced to this stage," Armstrong said during his treatment.

He launched The Lance Armstrong Foundation (www.laf.org), whose focus is on "Survivorship"--helping people survive and manage cancer. Each year, the organization hosts a "Ride for the Roses" weekend to raise research and cancer awareness.

All the hoopla surrounding his victor) doesn't seem to impress Armstrong, who dedicated his win (and attention) to his new son, Luke, and wife, Kristin. But as he prepared for France's torturous route, he was heard to say, "I'm just a regular guy, but I'll show them what a regular guy can do."

Actors Gary Collins and Mary Ann Mobley seem to have pried open the secret to longevity in both their lives and careers. Despite the former Miss America's early battle with Crohn's disease, the couple enjoy enduring good health, which Mobley credits to an enduring commitment to prevention and complementary medicine.

"We need to be responsible for our own protection," Mobley says, adding that every day she takes steps toward prevention. "For example, I am really determined in my weight workouts because it helps protect my bone mass. I don't want to end up on a walker or in a wheelchair if I can help it."

Watch for Gary in a movie that came out in Sep[ember called Beautiful, directed by Sally Field. Mary Ann can frequently be seen on Turner Broadcasting or in fund-raisers for the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation, as well as for breast cancer campaigns throughout the country.

In Hollywood, the Collins' life is unusual--they have had the same telephone number, the same address, and the same marriage for 33 years.