The Push Up Foundation Houston will host its sixth annual Victory Lap 5K on\u00a0Saturday, March 7, at Highline Park in the Heights\u00a0to kick off Colon Cancer Awareness Month. This family-friendly event will bring survivors, families, and advocates together to promote colon cancer prevention and the lifesaving importance of early screenings.<\/p>\n
Founded by Houston resident and colon cancer survivor Keith Rollins, the Push Up Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness of colon cancer, the third most diagnosed cancer among men and women. Since its founding, the Push Up Foundation has had a simple mission: to encourage people to get their colonoscopies at the now-recommended age of 45. Through doing so, it has touched countless lives.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s race will honor two of these lives and their remarkable stories, including former retired Lt. James \u201cJimmy\u201d Cassel of Klein, Texas.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cassel, who dedicated 30 years of service to the Harris County Constable\u2019s Office, Precinct 5, attended the Push Up Foundation\u2019s 2025 Victory Lap as a colon cancer survivor following his first colonoscopy at age 53. Despite a valiant fight, Cassel\u2019s cancer returned, and he passed away at age 54 in October 2025. The day before Cassel died, he visited with Rollins and Rollins\u2019 daughter, Kendall.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe requested that we share his story and not let people forget him. Jimmy didn\u2019t want anyone to experience what he endured,\u201d Rollins said. \u201cSo, this year, we will dedicate the Victory Lap to Jimmy and honor his legacy by telling his courageous story.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Push Up Foundation will also honor Michael Walsh, a native of Georgia. Diagnosed with colon cancer at an early age of 33, Michael learned about the Victory Lap while in Houston, just days before he was to undergo colorectal surgery. He decided to register for the 5K.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m so glad I signed up for the 5K. It\u2019s been helpful to have a supportive community \u2013 one that understands my journey and can relate to what I\u2019ve been through,\u201d Michael said. \u201cIf there\u2019s one thing I\u2019ve learned through all of this, it\u2019s the importance of advocating for yourself and staying mindful of any changes in your health.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Stories like Cassel\u2019s and Walsh\u2019s underscore the power of acting early. That message is echoed by medical experts who stress that prevention begins with timely screenings.<\/p>\n
\u201cEarly detection can make all the difference,\u201d said Omar Madriz, MD, an assistant professor at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, a colon and rectal surgeon at UT Physicians and Memorial Hermann Hospital, and a Push Up Foundation board member. \u201cA colonoscopy is a relatively quick, minimally invasive procedure that could save your life.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n