As Colorectal Cancer Rates Continue to Rise, Annual Community 5K Fundraises for Awareness and Prevention
MILWAUKEE – As colorectal cancer (CRC) rates continue to rise across the country, Guardant Health, Inc., a trusted leader in blood-based cancer tests for more than 10 years, is proudly teaming up with the Colon Cancer Coalition to support its annual Get Your Rear in Gear® 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, September 26, 2026, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The community event, which will raise funds for local CRC screening and education efforts, as well as patient and caregiver support, will bring together survivors, community members and supporters for a fun, family-friendly 5K run/walk to increase awareness and early detection of CRC. Each event takes on a local flair and features music, snacks, a Kids’ Fun Run, a timed 5K run, an untimed 5K walk, and a walk-through of a giant inflatable colon to see what your doctor sees during a colonoscopy.
In partnership with the Colon Cancer Coalition, Guardant Health is committed to increasing CRC screening awareness and education, including screening options such as Guardant Health’s Shield® blood test for colorectal cancer, the first blood test approved by the FDA as a primary screening option for colorectal cancer for average-risk individuals, age 45 and older.
Get Your Rear in Gear events are planned by local volunteers with support from the Colon Cancer Coalition, a national nonprofit organization encouraging screening and raising awareness of colorectal cancer. In 2026, 45 Get Your Rear in Gear events are planned across North America.
“We know that colorectal cancer is the 2nd leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Through our work and our partnership with companies like Guardant Health, we are hoping to change that,” said Chris Evans, president of the Colon Cancer Coalition. “We are thrilled to welcome Guardant Health as the Patient & Survivor Sponsor at all Get Your Rear in Gear events in 2026, supporting patients along all parts of their cancer journey from diagnosis through treatment, and into survivorship.”
Despite traditional methods like colonoscopies and stool-based tests being around for decades, more than 54 million eligible Americans – 1 in 3 – do not complete their CRC screening because they find current options unpleasant or inconvenient.
The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2026, 2,680 Wisconsinites will be diagnosed with CRC, and 880 will die from the disease. CRC recently became the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. for people under the age of 50, despite being highly treatable when caught early. Guardant Health’s Shield test eliminates the barriers that have kept many Americans from getting screened by expanding access and providing a quicker and easier testing option.
The Shield test is intended for individuals at average risk for colorectal cancer, age 45 or older.
For eligible patients in Wisconsin, it is offered by prescription through a doctor or other healthcare professional and can be completed during a routine visit. For complete product information about the Shield blood test, including full safety information, visit ShieldBloodTest.com.
Shield is covered by Medicare and the Veterans Affairs Community Care Network, and is commercially available across the U.S.
About Shield
Shield is a methylation partitioning cell-free DNA (mp-cfDNA) non-invasive, blood-based screening test that detects alterations associated with colorectal cancer in the blood. It is intended as a screening test for individuals at average risk for the disease, age 45 or older, and is not intended for individuals at high risk for colorectal cancer. The Shield test can be considered in a manner similar to guideline-recommended non-invasive CRC screening options and can be completed during any healthcare visit. A positive Shield result raises concern for the presence of colorectal cancer or advanced adenoma and the patient should be referred for colonoscopy evaluation.
About Guardant Health
Guardant Health is a leading precision oncology company focused on guarding wellness and giving every person more time free from cancer. Founded in 2012, Guardant is transforming patient care and accelerating new cancer therapies by providing critical insights into what drives disease through its advanced blood and tissue tests, real-world data and AI analytics. Guardant tests help improve outcomes across all stages of care, including screening to find cancer early, monitoring for recurrence in early-stage cancer, and treatment selection for patients with advanced cancer. For more information, visit guardanthealth.com and follow the company on LinkedIn, X (Twitter) and Facebook.
