Skip to main content

If you have questions, please contact the ColoCare Administrator at colocarestudy_admin@hci.utah.edu.

ColoCare Principal Investigators and Executive Steering Committee

Neli Ulrich, MS, PhD (ulrich@hci.utah.edu)
Executive Director of Comprehensive Cancer Center at Huntsman Cancer Institute
Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Utah

Christopher Li, MD, PhD (cili@fredhutch.org)
Professor, Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center 

Erin Siegel, PhD, MPH (siegel@moffitt.org)
Scientific Director, Department of Cancer Epidemiology, Division of Population Sciences, Moffitt Cancer Center

Jane Figueiredo, PhD (figueiredo@cshs.org)
Director, Community and Population Health Research, Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute; Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai

Martin Schneider, MD (schneider@med.uni-heidelberg.de)
Professor, Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany

Biljana Gigic, PhD (gigic@med.uni-heidelberg.de)
Scientist, Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany

Adetunji Toriola, MD, PhD (toriola@wustl.edu)
Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

David Shibata, MD, FACS, FASCRS (dshibata@uthsc.edu)
Executive Director/Chief Medical Officer, UTHSC Cancer Program; Professor and Chair, Department of Surgery, University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Community Advisory Board (CAB)

The ColoCare Study CAB is made up of ColoCare Study participants from Utah, Seattle, Florida, and Louisiana, who advise the researchers on ways to interact with the study participants and improve the study. Each advisory board member is a colorectal cancer survivor. The ColoCare Study CAB created a Facebook group as an optional resource for study participants. The Facebook group is not accessible to the ColoCare Study researchers.

Did You Know?

Facebook Logo

You can connect with other ColoCare participants on social media! To learn how, contact us.

colocarecab@gmail.com

Community Advisory Board Members

Renee Holt

Seattle, WA

I had colon cancer in 2011, at the age of 53. When my brother was diagnosed with colon cancer in his early forties, the doctor said this could be genetic and encouraged me to get tested, so I did. My cancer had not progressed very far when it was detected, so I did not need chemotherapy. However, I had my entire colon, uterus, and ovaries removed. I have adjusted well post-surgery—I live an active life with my spouse and our two college-age sons.

I work in research, which helps me better understand what the researchers are trying to accomplish with the ColoCare Study. I believe in the power of research to answer questions and I want to personally thank each of you for joining. Much of what we learn in research will not benefit us in the moment, but it will benefit people in the future with a colorectal cancer diagnosis. You are helping others by taking part in research!

Bradley Cutler

Salt Lake City, UT

My name is Bradley McKay Cutler, I am 55 years old and live in a suburb of Salt Lake City, Utah. I was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer during my first colonoscopy when I was 50-years old. At that time, I had no symptoms, and I felt good. My profile picture was taken six months after my diagnosis, during chemotherapy, and after three surgeries. The fight against cancer is about attitude and mental strength. Every fight is different but the rules are the same. You set your mind to it and you make it happen.

In three months, I will have reached my five-year marker from my final treatment. I enjoy my life with my wife Susie, my three adult sons and their lovely wives and our six grandchildren. Life is not about what you’re given but what you do with what you’re given. Life is good!

Jackelyn Waluzak

Tampa, FL

Hello! My name is Jackelyn Waluzak and I am a survivor of stage IIIC colorectal cancer. Being a Community Advisory Board member for the ColoCare Study, I feel that I am able to continue this work as an advocate and give the ColoCare investigators my perspective and advice as a colorectal cancer survivor/patient. February 19th, 2021, we celebrated my 7th year being cancer free!

Katrina Flood

St. Louis, MO

My name is Katrina and I am a CAB member at Washington University in St. Louis. My story with colorectal cancer started before I knew it did because I had no physical symptoms. If I had been aware of the importance of having a colorectal screening (i.e., colonoscopy) earlier in life, I would have been able to treat my cancer sooner. I often wonder if other communities have greater knowledge and better resources about colorectal cancer screening than communities that are predominantly African American. How can clinics, hospitals, and physicians communicate the importance of screening, in a way that motivates patients to agree to complete a screening?

I hope that you are doing well and will try your best to communicate the need to have a screening to your friends, family, and coworkers. I also wanted to take a moment to remind each one of you that you are indeed making a difference to colorectal cancer research. The ColoCare team and future colorectal cancer patients greatly appreciate the valuable contribution you are making through participation in this important study.