The Colon Tour stops at the School of Pharmacy

[Press Release] - Published on March 11, 2025 in Press Room, Environmental Issues and Social Responsibility

As part of “Blue March,” Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, the University of Montpellier’s School of Pharmacy and the Montpellier Pharmacy Students’ Association (AAEPM) are organizing an information and prevention day on March 27, 2025, open to the entire UM community. Supported by the Ligue contre le cancer and the ANEPF (National Association of Pharmacy Students of France), the Colon Tour is making a stop in Montpellier to raise awareness among both pharmacy students—the future leaders in prevention and screening—and the entire university staff.

The Cancer League will set up a giant inflatable model of the colon on March 27 on the campus of the School of Pharmacy to raise public awareness about the importance of screening. This prevention tool illustrates the interior of this little-known organ and the lesions that can develop there (diverticula, polyps, pedunculated lesions, cancer) to better explain the nature of procedures such as colonoscopy and to break down the barriers and taboos associated with this screening.

A national event to inform future pharmacists

Since 2022, pharmacists have been able to provide colorectal cancer screening kits to asymptomatic individuals with no specific risk factors. To support this initiative, the League Against Cancer and the ANEPF have launched a national partnership to educate students about these new developments.

In 2024, the Colon Tour visited 16 pharmacy schools—70% of all such institutions—reaching more than 1,600 people. Building on this success, the event will return in 2025 to reach even more future healthcare professionals and to raise awareness among a broader audience.

A major public health issue

With more than 47,000 new cases in France in 2024, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among men and the third among women, as the Ligue contre le cancer points out in its latest hard-hitting campaign titled “Go take a shit! ." However, when detected early, it can be cured in 9 out of 10 cases. Screening therefore plays an essential role, and pharmacists, as the first line of public health care, now have a key mission to fulfill.

By hosting the Colon Tour, the University of Montpellier’s School of Pharmacy is fully committed to this initiative aimed at prevention and the training of future healthcare professionals.

The schedule for the day

The day will feature lectures, discussions with healthcare professionals, and informational booths:

• 9:30 a.m.: Setup of the giant colon and opening of the partner organizations’ booths.
• 11:30 a.m.: Opening remarks by Professor Dubois, president of the League Against Cancer, and Dr. Escande, associate dean for campus life at the School of Pharmacy.
• All day until 4 p.m.: representatives from the League Against Cancer, the Regional Health Agency, SMILE (patient support following a diagnosis), PENut’S (nutrition and cancer prevention), Regional Cancer Screening Coordination Center – Occitanie (cancer screening), CPAM, ROTARACT, Montpellier University Hospital – Immunology Department, as well as an AAEPM booth selling crêpes.
• 12:00 p.m.: PENut’S presentation on the role of nutrition in cancer prevention.
• 12:45 p.m.: Presentation on the role of pharmacists in cancer care.
• 4:00 p.m.: End of the event and departure of the giant colon.