MILWAUKEE and MADISON, Wis., May 3, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Colon cancer cut short the life of legendary football coach Vince Lombardi at the age of 57 and, nearly 50 years later, remains the number two cancer killer in the United States. Now, the foundation bearing his name and one of the country's premier cancer diagnostics companies are teaming up to fight back.

Today, the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation (VLCF) announced a new, multi-year partnership with Madison, Wis.-based Exact Sciences that will work to increase awareness of colon cancer, stress the importance of screening and prevention, and raise funds for cancer research.

A first-of-its-kind partnership for both organizations, the agreement makes Exact Sciences' noninvasive Cologuard the "Official Colon Cancer Screening Partner of the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation." As a result, VLCF fundraising will be incorporated into Cologuard-branded events and campaigns across the country.

"Exact Sciences' innovative thinking and revolutionary advancements truly embody our mission to progress cancer prevention, research and compassionate care," said Benjamin R. Haas, president of the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation. "We look forward to the opportunities that this partnership will open up as we work together to help people better understand their colon cancer screening options."

The two organizations are already off to a fast start.

In February, Cologuard was a sponsor of VLCF's inaugural Leaders For A Cure event in St. Paul, Minn., and in March, Cologuard named VLCF a charitable beneficiary of the 2018 Cologuard Classic PGA TOUR Champions golf tournament in Tucson, Ariz. Helping in the $50,000 check presentation to VLCF at that tournament was pro golfer and Cologuard ambassador, Jerry Kelly, and his good friend, MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Additional integrations for the two brands will include:

• The New 50 – A national campaign featuring multi-talented musician, singer and actor Harry Connick, Jr. and his wife of 24 years and former model, Jill Connick, The New 50 is working to educate Americans about how colon cancer screening can fit into their busy lives. For every #ScreenWithMe pledge at www.new50.com, Cologuard will donate $1 to colon cancer research and advocacy organizations, including VLCF.
• Jerry Kelly Birdies for Charity – For every birdie made by pro golfer Jerry Kelly on the PGA TOUR Champions this year, Cologuard will donate $100 to VLCF.
• Cologuard Hole-in-One Challenge – Visitors to the Cologuard booth at the PGA TOUR Champions events across the country can take part in a miniature golf putting challenge. For each hole-in-one made, $1 will be donated to VLCF.
• Pro Football – VLCF will be featured in Cologuard's cancer awareness initiatives coinciding with pro football's cancer awareness activities in October.

"The Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation carries on the coach's commitment to excellence, integrity and improving people's lives," said Kevin Conroy, chairman and CEO of Exact Sciences. "It is an honor to work with the foundation to expand its national footprint and educate even more people about the importance of colon cancer screening. This is the beginning of a very special relationship between our organizations as we work to defeat cancer through early detection."

Colon cancer is widely known as one of the most preventable, yet least prevented forms of cancer. It's the number two cancer killer in the United States, taking the lives of 51,000 Americans per year – more than both breast cancer (41,000/year) and prostate cancer (29,000/year). Despite colorectal cancer's preventability, more than 35 million Americans age 50 and older are not current with screening guidelines.

Cologuard is changing how colon cancer screening is done, offering an easy, at-home collection process and none of the prep associated with a colonoscopy. Once prescribed by a health care provider, Cologuard is delivered to a patient's home via UPS. Patients collect their sample on their own time and use a prepaid return shipping label to send the specimen to Exact Sciences Laboratories. The health care provider receives the test results within a few weeks and the patient avoids the preparation, dietary and medication restrictions associated with a screening colonoscopy. To learn more about Cologuard, visit www.cologuardtest.com.

About the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation
Established in 1971, the foundation embodies the spirit, enthusiasm and commitment to excellence of Green Bay Packers Coach Vince Lombardi, who lost his own battle to colon cancer on September 3, 1970. In his honor, the foundation is committed to raising funds for advancements in cancer research and compassionate care. Cologuard of Exact Sciences, the official colon cancer screening partner of VLCF, aligns with the foundation's dedication to funding critical areas of research and furthering its mission. For more information about the foundation or to donate, sponsor or buy tickets to an event, visit lombardifoundation.org.

About Cologuard
Cologuard was approved by the FDA in August 2014 and results from Exact Sciences' prospective 90-site, point-in-time, 10,000-patient pivotal trial were published in the New England Journal of Medicine in April 2014. Cologuard is included in the American Cancer Society's (2014) colorectal cancer screening guidelines and the recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (2016) and National Comprehensive Cancer Network (2016). Cologuard is indicated to screen adults of either sex, 50 years or older, who are at average risk for colorectal cancer. Cologuard is not for everyone and is not a replacement for diagnostic colonoscopy or surveillance colonoscopy in high-risk individuals. False positives and false negatives do occur. Any positive test result should be followed by a diagnostic colonoscopy. Following a negative result, patients should continue participating in a screening program at an interval and with a method appropriate for the individual patient. Cologuard performance when used for repeat testing has not been evaluated or established. For more information about Cologuard, visit www.cologuardtest.com. Rx Only. 

About Exact Sciences Corp.
Exact Sciences Corp. is a molecular diagnostics company focused on the early detection and prevention of the deadliest forms of cancer. The company has exclusive intellectual property protecting its noninvasive, molecular screening technology for the detection of colorectal cancer. For more information, please visit the company's website at www.exactsciences.com, follow Exact Sciences on Twitter @ExactSciences or find Exact Sciences on Facebook. 

Media Contacts:
Audra Jacobs, Capture Marketing for VLCF, (262) 696-5162, audra@capturemarketingllc.com
Scott Larrivee, Exact Sciences, (608) 535-8673, slarrivee@exactsciences.com

View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vince-lombardi-cancer-foundation-and-exact-sciences-team-up-to-fight-colon-cancer-300642003.html

SOURCE EXACT SCIENCES CORP