The following information is being shared on behalf of one of our new community advisory panel (C4 Unfiltered) members, Dr. Spencer Dayton. We encourage people to reach out to Spencer if you would like to learn more about how to share your story.
Spencer Dayton, Stage IV CRC Survivor
Hi everyone,
I’m reaching out with an invitation for colorectal cancer survivors to participate in a new video storytelling archive for Behind the Blue Ribbon: Unseen Faces of Colorectal Cancer, a multimedia awareness and education project created by and for the CRC community. The goal is simple: make sure the realities of colorectal cancer are seen, understood, and taken seriously, especially for people whose experiences are too often overlooked in healthcare spaces.
Why we’re collecting these stories
Behind the Blue Ribbon is rooted in authentic storytelling and was built to highlight diverse patient voices across race, gender, age, geography, and diagnosis stage. We also created patient and provider toolkits designed to help clinics recognize symptoms earlier (especially for younger adults), communicate better, and reduce delayed diagnosis.
Your story can help us:
- Build a public video archive on our website
- Provide real-world learning for providers and organizations
- Strengthen the tools and conversations that lead to earlier screening, faster referral, and more respectful care
Who we especially hope to hear from
We are intentionally uplifting voices from communities that face barriers, stigma, and bias in healthcare. We are especially seeking stories from:
- Black, Latino, Native, Asian, Pacific Islander, and multiracial communities
- LGBTQ+ people
- Immigrants and people with limited English
- Rural and Tribal communities
- People with low income or without stable insurance
- People with disabilities, including invisible disabilities
- People who were dismissed by providers or faced bias
- Young adults under 50 who were told they were “too young” for colorectal cancer
If you do not see yourself on this list but you have felt pushed aside or not taken seriously, you still belong here.
What participation can look like
- A recorded conversation (video) in a supportive, survivor-centered format
- You choose what you want to share, and what you want to leave out
- Options to protect privacy, including using an alias, limiting details, and reviewing sensitive content before anything is posted
- Accessibility matters to us, and we aim to make resources inclusive and accessible (captioned and mobile-friendly)
Interested?
Email me: Spencer@spencermdayton.com
- Your name (or the name you want us to use publicly)
- The best way to contact you
- A sentence or two about what you want your story to focus on (diagnosis, symptoms being dismissed, discrimination/bias, insurance barriers, rural access, early-onset, Stage IV, etc.)
You can learn more about the project here: https://www.behindblueribbon.com
Thank you for considering this. Every story matters, and your voice could help someone else be seen sooner, believed sooner, and diagnosed sooner.
With gratitude,
Spencer