TAMPA, Fla. — March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. This year's campaign is focused on the importance of getting the U.S. back on track with preventive screenings.

"As COVID-19 gripped the country, colorectal cancer screenings plummeted," reads a message on the Colorectal Cancer Alliance's web site. The group is trying to get 10,000 people to sign a pledge to get screened that will connect signers with resources and information.

Kimberly Hardin said she's among those who put off the exam last year — not once, not twice, but three times.

“A lot of it had to do with the fear of the unknown, the stigma that goes around associated with colonoscopies, and the pandemic that we were in. I really just didn’t want to have a procedure during COVID," Hardin said. “I really think of my daughter as my guardian angel. You know, she said, ‘Mom, you’re already taking time off of work to have your mammogram. Why don’t you just go ahead and schedule your colonoscopy for the same week?’”

That screening happened in October. Hardin said the doctor let her know something suspicious was found as she woke up from the anesthesia. Later that week, her worst fear was confirmed.

“I just felt like my world collapsed around me. I felt like I just had fallen through - I had just fallen into this hole and all the words that were surrounding me were ‘cancer.’ I kept picturing death, and I’m only 51 years old, and what do I do? It’s a very scary situation to be in," Hardin said.

According to the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable, the missed and delayed screenings during the pandemic's first three months alone could lead to an estimated 18,800 missed or delayed diagnoses. Data from the National Cancer Institute shows that could lead to 4,500 additional colorectal cancer deaths during the next decade. That's on top of the disease's standing as the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the U.S. and second leading cause of cancer death, according to CCA.

“It is such a preventable disease. Obviously, even if there is something there, like a cancer that’s already present, the earlier we catch it, the more likelihood that you’ll have a better survival rate overall," said Dr. Allen Chudzinski, director of colon and rectal surgery for AdventHealth West.

Chudzinski said there's a stigma attached to preventive screenings for colorectal cancer. He said not only is colonoscopy prep easier than it used to be, but the procedure is simple, as well.

“Most people wake up and say, ‘Have we started yet?’ And it’s already completed. It is so gratifying to find those little polyps and to get it out, knowing that that little polyp will grow and turn into a cancer," he said.

When cancer is found, Chudzinski said minimally invasive robotic surgery may be an option. He said some patients can leave the hospital as soon as two days afterward and return to functioning normally within a couple of weeks.

“I think the right thing to do is get back on track and tell people it’s safe to have your colonoscopy. The facilities are going to keep you safe. The hospitals are going to keep you safe," Chudzinski said.

Hardin said she's nine weeks post-op and doing well. She said she thinks there needs to be more open discussion surrounding this disease.

“We’re very open about talking about breast screening or prostate screening. I think we need to become comfortable talking about GI issues," she said.

The American Cancer Society recommends people with no family history of colorectal cancer begin getting screened at age 45. Those with a family history of colorectal cancer or polyps should schedule their first screening when they turn 40 or ten years before the age of the youngest case in their immediate family, which includes parents and siblings. 

According to CCA, symptoms can include a change in bowel habits, persistent abdominal discomfort, rectal bleeding, feeling weak or fatigued, unexplained weight loss, nausea, and vomiting.

Chudzinski said regular exercise and a diet high in fiber and low in red meat and fatty foods can aid in prevention -- but the best prevention method is screening.