The Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada, joining hands with government partners, has devised a different way to spread awareness among people about colorectal cancer.

As a part of the initiative, the association has been taking a "giant colon" from city to city, all across Ontario, educating people about the somewhat "embarrassing-to-talk-about" disease.

The imposing pink worm-like structure, at 12 meters long and 2.5 meters high, allows visitors a walk-through of a colon, giving them an "inside view".

Dr. Linda Rabeneck, Medical Director of Ontario's colorectal screening program, says, "It attracts a lot of attention".

"And that's the whole point. We hope that they'll be aware that this is an important cancer", says Dr. Rabeneck.

"One of our messages is you don't think about it, it's your bowels. We don't talk about our bowels or colons or rectum, but this is actually the No. 1 cause of cancer deaths in Canadian men and women that's not related to tobacco", she says.

"We hope to show them what the colon is, how these cancers grow from the innermost lining of the colon, and get them thinking about it", Rabeneck says. "And get men and women realizing that they need to get screened".

The unique exhibit has visited nine Ontario cities since January.