Wisconsin marks August as Appendix Cancer Awareness Month

Governor Tony Evers has proclaimed August 2026 as Appendix Cancer Awareness Month in Wisconsin, backing a statewide push that includes amber landmark lightings, a new physician education course and family-led advocacy. The effort aims to speed diagnosis, improve specialist awareness and support patients with a rare cancer that affects about one to nine people per million each year.

Why it matters: - Appendix cancer is rare, affecting roughly one to nine people per million each year. - Patients often wait a long time for diagnosis because the disease is poorly understood. - Wisconsin's campaign is aimed at raising awareness, improving care and connecting patients with specialists faster.

What happened: - Governor Tony Evers signed a proclamation on July 3, 2026, naming August 2026 as National Appendix Cancer Awareness Month in Wisconsin. - The proclamation was signed at the Capitol in Madison and attested by Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski. - ACPMP is leading the statewide awareness effort this August. - The campaign includes landmark lightings, a new physician course and advocacy from the Living4Lindsey Foundation.

The details: - The state proclamation says appendix cancer is rare and often misunderstood, which can lead to misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis. - The proclamation recognizes patients, survivors, clinicians and advocates working to improve awareness and care. - ACPMP volunteer Deborah Stalsberg led outreach to the Governor's office on behalf of Wisconsin patients and families. - More than 20 landmarks and institutions across Wisconsin are expected to take part in Light Up Amber. - Planned participation includes Milwaukee, Appleton, Eau Claire, La Crosse and Red Cedar. - Participating locations in Milwaukee include American Family Field, the Baird Center, Discovery World, the Mitchell Park Domes, the US Bank Center, the Gas Light Building, 600 East, MGIC, the Pritzlaff Building, Schlitz Park, the Wisconsin Center District, 1522 on the Lake, Colliers, the Milwaukee County Historical Society, Lakefront Brewery and 330 Kilbourn. - Houdini Plaza in Appleton is also listed among the participating sites. - Mayo Clinic and Mayo Clinic Health System locations in Eau Claire, La Crosse and Red Cedar are scheduled to light amber on August 20. - Residents are encouraged to visit participating landmarks, share photos on social media and use #AmberforAppendixCancer. - Amber is the awareness color for appendix cancer and pseudomyxoma peritonei, or PMP. - The Living4Lindsey Foundation is based in the Waukesha area and honors Lindsey M. Jacob, who died in September 2024 at age 38 after a five-year battle with appendix cancer. - The foundation began as an awareness effort and now provides practical support for young families facing the disease, including financial assistance. - The foundation's annual golf outing is one of the state's most visible appendix cancer events. - Kris Jacob has continued the work in his wife's memory and has helped lead much of Wisconsin's participation this August. - ACPMP and the Medical College of Wisconsin developed a new free CME course titled "The Neoplastic Appendix: When to Watch, When to Act, When to Refer." - Dr. Ugwuji Maduekwe, an associate professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology at MCW, developed and presented the course content. - The accredited, 30-minute course is hosted through the Medical College of Wisconsin Office of Continuing and Professional Education. - The course helps clinicians distinguish benign appendix findings from cancerous lesions and decide when to watch, treat or refer a patient. - The course includes cases of low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm, which can shorten long waits for diagnosis. - The course is available on demand, offers up to one AMA PRA Category 1 Credit and is free to physicians and advanced practice providers in primary care, emergency medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, surgery and radiology. - Registration is available at ocpe.mcw.edu.

Between the lines: - Wisconsin's effort brings together public proclamation, building lightings, family advocacy and clinician education in one coordinated awareness push. - The physician course suggests the campaign is trying to move beyond awareness and into earlier recognition and referral. - The Living4Lindsey Foundation gives the campaign a personal focal point and a local family story that can help sustain attention. - ACPMP's work with state leaders and MCW shows how rare-disease advocacy often depends on partnerships across medicine, government and families.

What's next: - Landmarks and health systems across Wisconsin are expected to light amber throughout August. - Residents can take part by wearing amber, sharing campaign photos and learning more through ACPMP and Living4Lindsey. - ACPMP and partners will continue using the month to promote faster diagnosis and better specialist awareness.

The bottom line: - Wisconsin is turning August into a statewide rare-cancer awareness campaign, with the goal of helping patients get diagnosed sooner and cared for by clinicians who know what to look for.