Get Your Rear in Gear

How It Started 

by Kristin Tabor, President and Founder of the Colon Cancer Coalition

“Hope is where it’s at,” was a phrase my family often said. It became our mantra when several of my family members were diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses. Having had a mother die of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and two sisters battle advanced staged breast cancer, I couldn’t believe when my sister called me to say that at age 43 she had stage four colon cancer.  I thought colon cancer was a middle-aged man's disease! She was too young!  We had no family history!  The years that have followed since that fateful call in December of 1999 have shown me that I was not alone with knowing little about this disease, and would soon show me I was also not as alone as I thought in loving someone battling colon cancer.

Hope was what my sister held onto while undergoing surgery to remove an 8 inch tumor, followed by 2 ½ years of non-stop chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Yet, despite the best medical treatments of the time, the cancer spread to her bones and into her brain cells. Despite the news, she continued her steadfast belief that she would live - even during 9-11 where she insisted our family shift our attention to those families. 

On one rainy Seattle afternoon in 2000, I sat in my sister’s kitchen talking with her about our family’s decision to become a sponsor of an existing half-marathon and 8K on behalf of the “Susie Lindquist-Mjelde Colon Cancer Coalition." While sipping coffee, I saw a smile come across Susie’s face – a smile which pierced my heart. That moment changed me forever. I went from being a person who talked of possibilities and what others could do, to a person who was full of hope and determination.

Susie believed our family could make a difference if we were to raise awareness around colon cancer in a "live life" manner versus talk about it over coffee.  Family, friends, health organizations agreed to "Get Your Rear in Gear" versus sitting at the coffee table.  We all can take notice and not have to undergo what  my sister and so many have been enduring because of late stage diagnosis.  It was Susie who came up with the phrase "Get Your Rear in Gear."  She mingled with other slogans which can't be published but could make you fall off your chair...yes, she was that funny.

My brother Tom took what was a family sponsorship of a race to a new level by asking the Mercer Island Rotary Club Half-Marathon-8K-5K (Seattle area) to share net proceeds with organizations dedicated to the research and prevention of colon cancer. The Rotary Club agreed and renamed their event to The Mercer Island Rotary Half-Marathon for Colon Cancer Awareness and Rotary Foundation Charities.  It continues and thrives each year.

Susie lost her battle with colon cancer in August of 2002 at the age of 46. She left behind her husband and three children.  I was devastated by the loss of my best friend, but even more determined to have her message live on for colon cancer. 

Encouraged by my brother’s success - and nursing a life-long need to compete with him - I began to explore how to create a race in my own home state of Minnesota for colon cancer.  I cornered friends, family, and my MN RED Running Club to help create a plan to recruit runners and walkers.  Together, we targeted everyone we knew for sponsorship. 

Then, I picked up the phone and asked Cindy Iverson, of the MN Colon and Rectal Foundation (MCRF),  if their foundation would be interested to be the recipient of monies earned from our event.  My wonderful doctor, Robert Madoff who performed my colonoscopy also served on their board. MNCRF helped recruit medical colleagues to not only help sponsor, but get the word to patients and their families.  Our conservative goal of 500 participants was happily shattered!

On the first race day in Minnesota, I remember looking out at the crowd of 1,200 plus people and thinking, “who are all these people?” The answer was simple.  They were people who felt it was about time colon cancer had its own event!  They wanted to help; they wanted to honor someone they loved.  They were the many varied faces of survivors who owned the day. Then, there was the group which especially touched me.  This group was the runners and walkers perhaps not touched by the disease - these were the people who came out to participate in a first-rate and USATF certified event.  It is this last group whom I hope will never be touched by colon cancer because of our efforts.

That first day was in 2005.  Now, we are in 2008.  Survivors, family and friends across the United States are joining our grassroots "Colon Cancer Coalition."  With eight events in 2008 and 15-20 planned for 2009, we have already "stood up to cancer" from our hearts and made a significant difference with this disease. 75% of our funds stay local to ensure monies are spent properly to help the community awareness and screening programs. It is amazing what people can do when we love someone...and, we did it together!  I guess that's what we call powerful grassroots!

And so my sister’s phrase, “Get Your Rear in Gear” has become a household motto for colon cancer throughout the United States. "Get Your Rear in Gear” is bigger then just a message for colon cancer; it is a message for all of us to take action, lead longer healthier lives, go to the doctor regularly, to listen to our bodies when something isn’t right and to get the right answers, regardless of age.

That's my story.  Please share your story with us at by filling out this form.