Inaugural Colorectal Cancer Symposium Highlights Importance of Screening and Early Detection

The UTHealth Houston Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research (CHPPR) hosted the Inaugural UTHealth Houston Colorectal Cancer Symposium on March 24, 2025. Attendees learned about the current state and future of Colorectal Cancer Screening and Prevention from various perspectives: a provider, a researcher, and a colorectal cancer survivor.

The Symposium featured a panel discussion moderated by Maria E. Fernandez, PhD, Vice President, Population Health and Implementation Science at UTHealth Houston and the Director of CHPPR, who also provided her perspective as a researcher. She was joined by Nirav Thosani, MD, MHA, Director of the Center for Interventional Gastroenterology at UTHealth (iGUT) at McGovern Medical School and practicing gastroenterologist, who spoke about innovations in early detection of colorectal cancer using artificial intelligence. Rounding out the panel was Allison Rosen, MS, a colorectal cancer survivor and the Director of Project ECHO at the American Cancer Society, who spoke about her experiences as an advocate for colorectal cancer awareness and screening.

The symposium also included a recognition of Grace L. Butler, PhD and Olethia Chisolm, MD, FACP, FAHA, for their generous donation to CHPPR under the Hope Through Grace Endowment. This endowment supports the Colorectal Cancer Prevention and Control Program (CRCPC) at CHPPR, under which the symposium was organized.

Dr. Butler founded the non-profit organization, Hope Through Grace, Inc., in 2001 to reduce the impact of colorectal cancer on individuals and families in the Greater Houston area. The organization spent more than 20 years working to increase colorectal cancer awareness, build trust in the health care system, and improve access to prevention services through programs that aimed to address the behavioral and structural factors that impact colorectal cancer screening rates and outcomes.  

Through the CRCPC, CHPPR has pledged to build upon the foundation of education, peer support, research, and access to care set by Hope Through Grace, Inc. CHPPR plans to use its established infrastructure, existing partnerships, and extensive experience with community engagement and evidence-based colorectal cancer programs in particular to provide individuals, families, and communities with the knowledge, programs, and services necessary for colorectal health.

The Colorectal Cancer Symposium is one of the CRCPC’s planned annual events for Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month each March. This year, the program also organized a Virtual Walk for Colorectal Cancer Prevention, which allowed participants to walk anywhere, anytime to raise awareness of colorectal cancer and the importance of prevention research. Both events will be held annually as part of the CRCPC’s mission to promote colorectal cancer prevention and control.

For more information on the CRCPC and how you can get involved or donate to our efforts to advance colorectal cancer prevention and early detection, visit go.uth.edu/CRCPC.