NEENAH, Wis., May 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Earlier this
year, Cottonelle® announced its partnership with the nonprofit
organization, BLKHLTH®, to help reach
Black people with critical information about colorectal cancer,
which impacts the Black community at greater rates, and yet has a
90 percent survival rate if caught and treated early1.
Since announcing the commitment and initial $750,000 donation in March, together Cottonelle
and BLKHLTH have distributed nearly 3,000 free at-home colorectal
cancer screening tests in less than 90 days, with plans to double
that amount within the coming months.
Despite being highly curable, there remains a strong stigma
attached to colorectal cancer screening and "down there
care", particularly among men. In honor of Men's Health Month in
June, Cottonelle is committing an additional $50,000 donation to BLKHLTH to help provide more
free colorectal cancer screening tests. Consumers can support
BLKHLTH when buying Cottonelle, and other products from Amazon,
using AmazonSmile for a no-cost-to-you donation. Each donation
helps BLKHLTH fulfill its mission in reaching Black communities
with critical health information and resources. Simply select
BLKHLTH as the charity of choice before making a purchase through
AmazonSmile.
"The risk of colorectal cancer is higher for Black Americans due
to differences in social determinants of health – the way that we
live our daily lives. Due to historic and current social policies,
lack of health of insurance, lack of information, and lack of
access to health care providers, Black Americans are less likely to
know the importance of screening, to participate in screening, and
to have access to high quality health care," said Dr. Fola May, gastroenterologist and health equity
researcher who has joined Cottonelle and BLKHLTH on its efforts to
help Black Americans get "good down there."
In addition to distributing screening tests, Cottonelle and
BLKHLTH have partnered with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance to
provide financial assistance to Black people in need of a
colonoscopy or follow-up care after an at-home screening test. The
fund has already helped to support several dozen people get their
needed downtherecare colonoscopies. Learn more about the
financial assistance fund at Cottonelle.com/GoodDownThere.
"In just a couple of months, it's amazing to see all of the
people we've been able to reach with critical colorectal cancer
screening information and tests as a result of our partnership with
Cottonelle," said Matthew McCurdy,
co-founder and President of BLKHLTH. "This is just the beginning,
and we're excited to be able to extend our reach into Black
communities across the country."
BLKHLTH and Cottonelle have identified likeminded ambassador
organizations to serve as community liaisons to distribute critical
education materials and free colorectal cancer screening tests
through the remainder of 2021. Current ambassador organizations
include:
- Washington, DC - So Others
Might Eat
- Detroit, MI - Neighborhood
Service Organization
- Houston, TX - Change Happens
HTX
- Los Angeles / Oakland, CA - TRAPMedicine
- Philadelphia, PA - Bebashi
Transition to Hope
"As part of our continued commitment to down there care
and caring for our whole selves, Cottonelle is honored to continue
its partnership and momentum with BLKHLTH," said Ada Zavala, Senior Brand Manager for Cottonelle.
"Supporting this cause beyond Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month has
always been a priority of ours and we are passionate about
continuing the conversation and providing resources to help reduce
barriers and stigmas associated with this disease."
Visit Cottonelle.com/GoodDownThere to find more information on
the partnership with BLKHLTH and how you can support the cause,
including attending a virtual health education event featuring
experts and special guests who will highlight risks, patient
stories and ways to get involved. Help break the stigma and commit
to having conversations with loved ones about taking care
of down there by tagging your family and friends on
social media using hashtag #GoodDownThere and challenging them to
get screened.
About Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) and its trusted brands are an
indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries.
Fueled by ingenuity, creativity, and an understanding of people's
most essential needs, we create products that help individuals
experience more of what's important to them. Our portfolio of
brands, including Huggies, Kleenex, Scott, Kotex, Cottonelle,
Poise, Depend, Andrex, Pull-Ups, GoodNites, Intimus, Neve,
Plenitud, Viva and WypAll, hold the No. 1 or No. 2 share position
in 80 countries. We use sustainable practices that support a
healthy planet, build stronger communities and ensure our business
thrives for decades to come. To keep up with the latest news and to
learn more about the company's nearly 150-year history of
innovation, visit Kimberly-Clark.com.
About BLKHLTH
BLKHLTH is a nonprofit organization
whose mission is to critically engage and challenge racism and its
impact on Black health. This is done through workshops and
trainings, practice-based consulting, community health events, and
digital media. Its vision is a world where racism and other
intersecting forms of oppression do not determine a person's
ability to achieve optimal health. Learn more about BLKHLTH at
BLKHLTH.com or follow the conversation on Instagram, Twitter or
Facebook.
About AmazonSmile
AmazonSmile is a simple way for you
to support your favorite charitable organization every time you
shop, at no cost to you. AmazonSmile is available at
smile.amazon.com on your web browser and can be activated in the
Amazon Shopping app for iOS and Android phones. When you shop with
AmazonSmile, you'll find the exact same low prices, vast selection
and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added
benefit that AmazonSmile will donate 0.5% of your eligible
purchases to the charitable organization of your choice. You can
choose from over one million organizations to support.
[KMB-B]
|
|
|
1 https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/colorectal-cancer-facts-and-figures/colorectal-cancer-facts-and-figures-2020-2022.pdf
|
View original content to download
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cottonelle-brand-continues-commitment-to-colorectal-cancer-education-and-good-down-there-resources-for-black-americans-with-blkhlth-partnership-301294460.html
SOURCE Kimberly-Clark