American Cancer Society’s Polyp Man™ Joins College Basketball Mascots at 2002 Coaches vs. Cancer Classic®

American Cancer Society
Wednesday, 13 November 2002

Star of Public Service Ads Hits the Hardwood to Raise Cancer Screening Awareness

Colon polyps and cancer screening are not the typical material for college basketball cheers and fight songs. But when the 2002 edition of the AT&T Wireless Coaches vs. Cancer Classic® tips off this week at Madison Square Garden, Polyp Man™, the American Cancer Society's public health awareness campaign character will rub shoulders with the likes of the University of Alabama's "Big Al" and Syracuse University's "Otto" the orange and work the crowd – both in the stands and on national television – to promote awareness of the Society's cancer fighting programs.

Polyp Man, a larger-than-life, red-suited colon polyp – a nuisance of a character who pops up unexpectedly in people's lives, stars in a national public service advertising campaign sponsored by the American Cancer Society and developed in association with the Advertising Council. Polyp Man grabs viewers' attention and, with the use of humor, cuts through barriers often associated with getting tested for colon cancer while getting across the simple truth: Colon Cancer: Get the test. Get the polyp. Get the cure.

Launched in January 2002, the original campaign introduced Polyp Man through television, radio, print and Internet PSAs targeting the general public. For the coming year, ads were developed to reach African-Americans and Hispanic/Latino-Americans – two population groups facing a disproportionate cancer burden, compared to the U.S. population overall.

Celebrating its seventh year, the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic has earned the distinction of officially kicking off the 2002-03 NCAA men's basketball regular season and doing it in style, with five of the eight teams ranked in the ESPN/USA TODAY Preseason Top 25 poll. The first tip-off will take place at 7 p.m. (EST) on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2002 when Syracuse faces Memphis. 2002 Final Four entrant, #3 Oklahoma, will play #8 Alabama in the nightcap. On Friday, Nov. 15, Villanova will face #19 Marquette at 6:30 p.m. (EST), followed by #16 Georgia against #5 Texas. All four games will be televised on ESPN2.

Coaches vs. Cancer, a collaboration between the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the American Cancer Society, was formed to leverage the strength, community leadership and celebrity of our country's basketball coaches. Through the efforts of more than 500 basketball coaches and the American Cancer Society, more than $18 million has been raised since 1993. The money raised supports the Society's efforts in research, education, advocacy and service in communities nationwide.

The American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy and service.

For more information, or to contact American Cancer Society, see their website at: www.cancer.org