We’ve heard about using traffic monitoring systems to count people walking into shopping centers, libraries and museums, but have you ever been counted while walking through a giant colon? Now’s your chance!
What is the CCAC?
The Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada (CCAC) is on a mission to “increase awareness of colorectal cancer, support patients, and advocate for population-based screening and timely access to effective treatments.” This non-profit organization holds events and conferences for education, fundraising and awareness throughout the year across Canada to support their mission.
One of the most attention-catching events hosted by the CCAC is the Giant Colon Exhibit. That’s right, a 40-foot long by 8-foot high replica of the human colon. The exhibit gives visitors the opportunity to tour and witness the inner workings of the colon as well as the pathologies that may be found within the colon including colorectal cancer. Visitors are guided through the exhibit by the knowledgeable puppet tour guide, Dr. Preventino via five television screens located within the colon.
On average, the exhibit is on display 2 to 3 times per month attracting 2,000 to 3,000 visitors a day. Since the exhibit’s maiden voyage in March 2009, about 100,000 individuals have experienced the Giant Colon Tour.
How do they know 100,000 have been educated on colon cancer?
Each and every Giant Colon Tour is monitored to track the number of people visiting the exhibit. Count data on the number of people walking the tour is made possible by our SenSource people counters. Not only is it useful for the association to know how many it is catering to daily, it is also useful to graph and compare hour by hour stats, peak traffic times and historical data. The CCAC is not government funded and therefore relies on the support of sponsors and individuals for funding. It’s important to have accurate, reliable traffic count data to share with sponsors to justify current and new advocacy endeavors such as the Giant Colon Tour.
Currently, the CCAC has two Giant Colons, one located in Montreal, the other in Alberta to more efficiently exhibit throughout Canada. About ten to twelve shows are planned for the rest of this year. Aside from the tour, the CCAC is always up to something new including making appearances throughout the United States. Be sure to look into the organization’s great blog spot where posts and pictures recollect many of the tour stops as well as feature daily posts regarding cancer articles and advancements. Visit the CCAC website to learn more about colorectal cancer, prevention and treatment as well as see where the Giant Colon Tour is headed next!
