“Thank you for saving my life,” were the first words cancer survivor Jennifer Newland, 47, of Roseto, spoke to her colorectal surgeon John S. Park, M.D., as she rushed to embrace him at a colon cancer community information forum held March 7 at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest.

Newland was at the forum as a testament that colon cancer, caught early enough, can be overcome.

Newland learned in February 2015 she had stage 4 colon cancer, which metastasized to her liver. She determined she would maintain a “can-do” attitude despite the diagnosis and, following surgery and chemotherapy at Lehigh Valley Physician Group Hematology Oncology at the Health Center at Bangor, Newland continues to be in remission.

Newland attended the Lehigh Valley Cancer Institute’s colorectal cancer information event to thank the doctors and caregivers whom she credits with saving her life.

Attendees at the event were able to tour an inflatable colon replica to learn what polyps, diverticula, colitis and Crohn’s Disease look like.

Featured speaker Linda Lapos, M.D., with Colon-Rectal Surgery Associates, P.C., told attendees of the importance of colonoscopy procedures in detecting treatable colon-rectal disease.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cause of cancer death in the U.S.

“The good news is it’s highly curable if caught early,” Lapos said.

Doctors recommend everyone should be screened for colorectal cancer beginning at age 50 – earlier if someone has a family history of the disease or certain other risk factors.