No way could I let Polyp Man off that easy. He was pictured in our local news section June 29 cavorting at an American Cancer Society Relay for Life event in Everett.
Dan Bates / The Herald
Why was Dr. Bill Finley willing to dress like a red goofball with a big spare tire around his tummy?
And leading children in polyp yoga? After the pictures ran, a friend asked Finley how relaxed the colon needed to be to do polyp yoga.
“There’s a product they use to prep the colon for colonoscopy, and I use it for preparing my patients for colon surgery,” Finley said. “It’s called Miralax. So I guess in answer to her question, the colon simply has to be ‘miralaxed.’”
So Polyp Man can tell a good joke? What a bonus for a surgical oncologist at the Everett Clinic. I’ve come to love the Everett Clinic. Since my husband fell off a ladder in April, they’ve been wonderful to work with. They call back and get you in on time, and they care.
Maybe they care because some of the staff are home-grown. Finley graduated from Everett High School in 1985. He attended the University of Puget Sound, the University of Washington School of Medicine, then did surgical training in rural Pennsylvania. After five years in Pennsylvania, he spent two years in Buffalo, N.Y., doing a surgical oncology fellowship at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.
“It’s funny, you meet a lot of people from Buffalo,” Finley said. “I wonder if anyone stays?”
He’s been at the Everett Clinic for almost two years. Becoming Polyp Man is a new part of his persona.
“The purpose of Polyp Man is to increase public awareness about colon cancer, and most importantly, the role of screening in preventing colorectal cancer,” Finley said. “How I became involved, and became Polyp Man, was through my involvement with the American Cancer Society Relay for Life of Everett.”
Relay for Life is an event designed to celebrate those who survive the disease and also raise money for the American Cancer Society. Teams gather at schools, fairgrounds or parks and take turns walking or running laps.
“We have raised just over $154,000, had 49 teams registered, had over 600 participants, and just over 120 cancer survivors walked in the opening survivor lap, Finley said.
“Last year, we raised just over $96,000 with 22 teams. Needless to say, we are rather proud of the efforts.”
Finley agreed to become Polyp Man for an Everett walk. His silly suit came from the American Cancer Society, sort of a big red cushion. Other Polyp Men have appeared around the country for several years.
The American Cancer Society’s public health awareness campaign character is billed as a nuisance who pops up unexpectedly, like colon cancer. With the use of humor, Polyp Man aims to cut through barriers associated with getting tested for colon cancer.
Get the test. Get the polyp. Get the cure.
Emily Dietman, metro market relationship manager for the American Cancer Society in Everett, said Finley is the perfect Polyp Man.
“We don’t want to talk about polyps or colorectal cancer,” Dietman said. “He brings personality and a human face to the subject.”
At the Everett relay, the mascot shared information about the importance of colorectal screening, walked a couple of laps, handed out literature and played in the bouncy house with kids.
There was one unfortunate event. He lost a footrace to Lincoln, the Everett Silvertips mascot.
“By the way, he cheated,” Finley said. “He definitely had a false start. I will demand a rematch at some point in the future.”
As to future appearances, Finley didn’t rule out the possibility.
“I am thinking if my day job doesn’t work out as a surgical oncologist, I feel comfortable I have a cushy fall-back position,” he said. “Check out the photos, and you will certainly agree.”
Columnist Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451 or oharran@heraldnet.com.
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