Huge inflatable aims to raise colon cancer awareness

Inflatable colon on display at University Hospital

SAN ANTONIO – Jamie Hernandez is 50 years old and he's already had a colonoscopy. 

Not because he wanted to get one, but because he watched his father die without getting a colon exam in time.

"He was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer. (It was) very aggressive. (He had) no chance of treatment and recovery," Hernandez said.

Hernandez said he understands why his dad and other men wait too long to get a colon exam.

"The average American man, we are macho. We don't want to show weakness. We don't want to show vulnerability, but look what happens," Hernandez said.

Dr. Laura Tenner, an oncology gastroenterologist with UT Health San Antonio, said she's seen the hesitation to get tested way too often.

"I can't tell you how many times I'm sitting in my clinic with my patient sitting across from me saying, 'I wish I had gotten my screenings earlier,'" she said.

To help raise awareness of why it's important to get a colonoscopy, University Hospital will have on display a huge inflatable version of the organ. The inflatable is large enough for people to walk inside it and check out for themselves.

"On the walls of the colon, you can see benign polyps and you can see the more progressive polyps," Tenner said. "You can see what cancer looks like. So you can actually see what the inside of your colon would look like."

The inflatable colon will be on display at University Hospital beginning Thursday. The inflatable will be on display Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Laptops will be available in the lobby so that people can log on and to take an online cancer screening test and also find out why and when one should get a colonoscopy.


About the Authors:

David Ibañez has been managing editor of KSAT.com since the website's launch in October 2000.

Ursula Pari has been a staple of television news in Texas at KSAT 12 News since 1996 and a veteran of broadcast journalism for more than 30 years.