A local beauty salon has teamed up with Schneck Medical Center to raise the public’s awareness for colorectal cancer.

On Tuesday, Simply Chic Beauty set up outside the endoscopy area at the Seymour hospital near an inflatable colon to give blue hair extensions for $10 with the money going toward the Schneck Foundation.

“It all kind of started with the Schneck cancer center a year ago,” said Kelli Stuckwish, owner of Simply Chic Beauty in Seymour.

Stuckwish said she was approached after doing a similar fundraiser in October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month and asked if she would be willing to do it again for Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in March.

That’s how the one-day event at the hospital came about, she said.

Blue hair extensions still are available and can be obtained by visiting the salon at 909 E. Tipton St. You also can call 812-522-4388 for an appointment.

Simply Chic Beauty donated about $800 from the monthlong event a year ago to the Schneck Foundation, which has a goal to “improve and expand patient care services, purchase medical equipment upgrades and provide educational activities and programs for our growing community.”

“It’s important because colorectal cancer is one of the more prevalent cancers out there with one of the highest death rates,” said Tyler Wessel, manager of ambulatory services at Schneck.

Colorectal, a combination of colon and rectal, cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society.

The society estimates there are more than 136,000 new cases each year.

Wessel said colorectal cancer can present itself in numerous ways. Change in bowel habits, blood in stool, abdominal or pelvic pain, weight loss, feeling bloated, vomiting or weakness are all signs of potential colorectal cancer.

The cancer takes the form of adenomatous polyps forming. Wessel said these polyps can be precancerous, noncancerous or cancerous.

Wessel also stressed the importance of early detection of these polyps through screening methods, including endoscopy.

“Don’t be afraid, get into your doctor and get signed up for a screening,” Wessel said.

Those over the age of 50 are at the biggest risk for colorectal cancer, he said.

“I think it’s important that people know what to do to get the screenings,” Stuckwish said. “We want people to walk by someone with the extensions and ask, ‘What’s that for?’”

The event has collected more than $200 already this year, but the salon will continue to collect money throughout the month by selling the extensions out of the salon.

Stuckwish said she plans on continuing the program next year.

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To purchase a blue hair extension to help raise awareness of colorectal cancer, visit Simply Chic Beauty at 909 E. Tipton St. or call 812-522-4388 for an appointment. The cost is $10, and the money will be donated to the Schneck Foundation.

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For information about screenings and measuring risk, visit the National Cancer Institute’s Colorectal Assessment Tool at cancer.gov/colorectalcancerrisk.

To schedule screenings and find out more about colorectal cancer, contact Schneck Medical Center at 812-522-2349.

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