National Family Health History Day Timeline

November 2017

Two organizations merged to fight colorectal and colon cancers

The Colon Cancer Alliance merged with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance to provide a supportive network and seek research funding to find a cure.

2004

Thanksgiving became a vehicle for family health discussions

The Surgeon General declared Thanksgiving as Family Health History Day. It's a reminder to assess health risks for illnesses known to run in families — like high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer.

1980s

Video chip technology paved the way for cancer surgery improvements

Video chip technology was introduced for laparoscopy, providing a major progressive step in colorectal cancer surgery