Taking a ‘Victory Lap’ in fight against colorectal cancer
Push Up Foundation’s 5K race raises awareness that colonoscopies are recommended at age 45
Houston, it’s time to take a victory lap. The Push Up Foundation will honor all the people who have fought colorectal cancer at its upcoming 5K running event.
The third annual event on March 4 is offered by the Push Up Foundation, sonamed because founder Keith Rollins wants to encourage others to “push up” their colonoscopy dates.
He hopes that the “Victory Lap” will help spread the word that the recommended age for a colonoscopy is 45 instead of 50, which he considers a major step forward in early detection and prevention of colorectal cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in the U.S. The nonprofit estimates that in 2023, there will be 106,970 new cases of colon cancer and 46,050 new cases of rectal cancer.
Rollins, who lives in the Memorial area, said that early detection can help bring those numbers down. He knows the importance of screening firsthand.
Rollins wasn’t planning to get a colonoscopy before 50, which he thought was the recommended age. But he said the circumstances that landed him in a colorectal surgeon’s office a year earlier, at age 49 and right in the nick of time, were nothing short of divine.
“It was a miracle really,” he said.
Colonoscopy recommended at age 45
Every morning, Rollins starts the day working out in his home gym. He was doing a Russian twist, when he felt something amiss, like a twinge in his posterior. He thought a pimple or ingrown hair might be to blame.
Since he was planning to leave town the next day and did not want to risk an infection, he called his friend Dr. Omar Madriz, a colorectal surgeon with UT Physicians and Memorial Hermann.
Madriz treated Rollins for an abscess and then asked if Rollins had gone in for his colonoscopy. Rollins was surprised, assuming he had not yet reached the standard age.
Madriz explained that the new recommendation was for colonoscopies at the age of 45 — and even sooner if there are symptoms or a family history. In the meantime, the surgeon performed a rectal exam. That’s when he found a large polyp.
“We need to schedule a colonoscopy right away,” Madriz said.
During the procedure in May 2020, Madriz removed the polyp, which was precancerous, and discovered something of greater concern.
“Keith had another lesion higher up,” Madriz said. “If we hadn’t done the colonoscopy, we wouldn’t have known about it.”
Rollins was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. On June 16, 2020, he underwent surgery to have the growth removed, along with 32 lymph nodes. Four came back positive for cancer.
“That means you have to get chemo,” Rollins said.
His treatment began in July 2020 and ended five months later, after 12 rounds of chemotherapy.
Called to spread the word
During chemotherapy, Rollins read the book “Don’t Waste Your Cancer” by John Piper. “It basically says you have to use your experience in some manner,” Rollins said.
He felt called to get the word out that the recommended age for colonoscopy had changed. Since he had not been aware of it, he knew others out there were in the same boat.
By early 2021, Rollins established the Push Up Foundation, with the help of wife Sarah, daughter Kendall Mahan and son Reece.
He invited Madriz to serve on the board.
“It’s a great cause,” the surgeon said. “What Keith is doing is outstanding. He’s doing a great job.”
The signs and symptoms of colon cancer may not be apparent until the disease has progressed, Madriz said.
That’s why the medical community emphasizes the importance of scheduling a screening colonoscopy at the age of 45, or even sooner if there are causes for concern.
Early warning signs may include pain in the abdomen, change in bowel habits, or blood in the stool, Madriz said
“You could be 30 or 35, but if you have issues, get checked,” he said.
Colonoscopies make colon cancer a highly treatable disease, Madriz said. For example, if precancerous polyps are identified, they can be removed during the procedure.
Also, if colon cancer is detected in early stages, treatment can begin right away. “Colorectal cancers, when found in early stages, have a 90 percent cure rate or higher,” Madriz said.
Tests like Cologuard do not allow doctors to remove polyps or gain a full picture of the colon.
“A colonoscopy is extremely important,” Madriz said.
Preventing colon cancer
The idea of a “victory lap” came to Rollins after he finished chemo. He wanted to celebrate.
“Let’s do something, a party or something,” he said. “Let’s do a victory lap.”
In 2021, Rollins decided to host a Victory Lap in Memorial Park as the first event for the Push Up Foundation.
Participants met for a prayer and then started walking. Everyone received a T-shirt, which Rollins hoped would serve as a conversation starter.
“I just wanted people to see the shirts and ask, ‘What’s a victory lap?’” he said. “Then, they could tell the story. And there are a lot of eyes at Memorial Park.”
Later that year, Push Up also joined the FORE! charity golf tournament, which also benefits the Periwinkle Foundation. Now, both events have become annual offerings of the Push Up Foundation. The nonprofit hosts other awarenessraising campaigns throughout the year, and Rollins serves as a guest speaker to various groups.
Rollins said he often gets notes from others, saying, “It’s because of you I got my colonoscopy.”
He urged co-worker Jake Brown, 51, to make an appointment for the procedure last year.
“It took me six months to get it scheduled,” Brown, a resident of Katy, said. “I could have easily said, ‘It’s not worth it.’”
But he kept hearing Rollins’ voice urging him to stick to the plan.
During the procedure, doctors found a large, precancerous polyp. Brown had surgery in January.
“I’m thankful for Keith,” Brown said. “He saved my life.”
Brown now also encourages others to get regular screenings.
“If you’re concerned about your health, and your family, it only takes a few hours out of your day to get it done,” he said. “It may be a little inconvenient, the prep time. But you will have your whole life in front of you.”
Brown is sponsoring a team for this year’s Victory Lap, and he will be among the faces in the crowd during the 5K.
More than 100 individuals have received their colonoscopies due to efforts of the Push Up Foundation, Rollins said.
“That’s what it’s all about,” he said. “I want to impact as many people as I can. If we can prevent one person from getting colon cancer, then we’ve made the world a better place.”