REGISTER FOR GUT 2025 HERE!
WHAT IS GUT?
Founded in 2008 by Mark Gascoigne, who lost his father to colorectal cancer, Get Up There (GUT) raises funds and awareness to support colorectal cancer screening and prevention.
Through GUT, Mark’s tireless lobbying, fundraising efforts and determination were instrumental in bringing the fecal immunochemical stool test (FIT) to Nova Scotia in 2009. This critically important test is mailed out to Nova Scotia residents on or around their 50th birthday. The test is 100% painless and can easily be completed at one’s home. In the first four years of the program, 2,500 Nova Scotians were identified as having pre-cancerous or malignant polyps.
Currently, only 34% of people who receive the test in the mail complete and return it. There is still much work to be done to save lives through screening and early detection of colorectal cancers. This is GUT’s mission and singular focus.
REGISTER FOR GUT 2025 HERE!
STORY
Every day, one Nova Scotian dies from a disease that is 90% preventable: colorectal cancer.
2025 marks the 17th anniversary of Get Up There (GUT), an initiative dedicated to raising funds and awareness for colorectal cancer screening and prevention. Funds raised through GUT allowed the Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation to purchase state-of-the-art equipment and technology for colorectal cancer screening and outfitted a third Endoscopy Suite at Dartmouth General Hospital, used exclusively for screening FIT-positive (Fecal Immunochemical Test) patients, effectively eliminating the waiting list for these individuals.
Last year’s GUT campaign supported a public awareness effort aimed at encouraging more individuals to complete and return their FIT tests. Currently, only 40% of individuals who receive the kit complete and return it. Funds raised this year will continue to focus on improving FIT return rates across Nova Scotia. Together, let’s make a difference!
Check out our 2021 clip on CTV!
https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2174918&binId=1.1145745&playlistPageNum=1