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Margate proclaims March 2026 Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month; local resident urges screenings
Summary
The commission proclaimed March 2026 Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month; a local resident described a family cancer diagnosis at age 40, urged earlier screening and cited rising cases among younger adults and national statistics cited in the proclamation.
The City of Margate commission read a proclamation designating March 2026 as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and urged residents to pursue timely screening. The proclamation cited national statistics and survival-rate differences between early- and late-stage diagnosis.
The proclamation text noted that when colon cancer is found at an early stage the five-year survival rate is about 91 percent versus roughly 16 percent when found at stage 4, and it cited 2025 national figures of about 154,270 new cases and 52,900 deaths. Following the proclamation a local resident, identified in the meeting as Cassia Ozhokovska, described her family’s experience: "When my mom was only 40, she was diagnosed with stage 4... Since then, we've brought it down to 45," she said, urging everyone to get screened.
Ozhokovska told the commission her family had recently lobbied elected officials for more funding and attention to colorectal cancer, and she said cases are appearing in younger adults. The commission signed and witnessed the proclamation and encouraged residents to use screening as an early-detection tool.
The proclamation was ceremonial and intended to raise awareness and encourage screening; no local policy, funding or ordinance was proposed during the presentation.
