Colon health is becoming a hot topic in fashion. With early-onset colorectal cancer rates rising, the number of diagnoses before age 50 is expected to double by 2030. Doctors are urging individuals to stay vigilant and undergo colonoscopies if necessary. In response, young people diagnosed with colorectal cancer are speaking out and raising awareness.
Brooks Bell and Sarah Beran, both in their 30s when diagnosed with colorectal cancer, are two such individuals. Now in their 40s, Beran, who had Stage 4 colon cancer, and Bell, who had Stage 3, have launched a clothing line aimed at raising awareness and funding colonoscopies for those who can’t afford them.
As cancer survivors, Beran and Bell wanted to find a way to help others avoid the difficult experiences they faced. “When you are diagnosed with and then treated for advanced cancer, it changes you forever,” Beran shared. “When you survive it, you feel like you’ve been given a second chance to do something powerful with your life.”
Colon cancer remains largely misunderstood, with many unaware of how prevalent and preventable it is. Doctors recommend starting routine colonoscopies at age 45, unless at higher risk due to family history or other medical conditions. However, many avoid the screenings due to discomfort, embarrassment, or cost—out-of-pocket expenses can total thousands of dollars.
This is where Worldclass, the clothing and accessories brand launched by Beran and Bell, comes in. Their products include sweatshirts, sweatpants, T-shirts, hoodies, and baseball caps emblazoned with words like “Ass” and “Colonoscopy enthusiast.”
Beran explains, “Fashion is so fun and approachable and expressive. We knew it would be a unique way to educate and advocate and to get people excited about preventing cancer.”
One hundred percent of the net profits from the brand are being donated to increase access to colonoscopies for underserved communities. The Worldclass Foundation also accepts donations to a colonoscopy fund that supports underinsured patients and covers additional costs like transportation or translation services.
In addition to raising funds, Beran and Bell hope their bold, eye-catching designs will spark conversations. “Ass is our brand and our passion,” Bell said. “Asses are inherently amazing things, and they are also the gateways to the colon, or large intestine, which is where colon cancer occurs.”
“If you want to talk about colons, you’ve got to talk about ass,” she continued. “If you want to talk about colon cancer prevention, you’ve got to talk about colonoscopies. We’ve all got to be much more comfortable talking about ass if we want to get serious about actively preventing colon cancer, which is predicted to be the top cancer killer of both men and women under 50 by 2030.”
Bell emphasized that colonoscopies are the only proven prevention method, as they can detect polyps before they turn into cancer. “Showing your ass some love and getting it checked out with a colonoscopy before you have any symptoms is going to become a vital part of everyone’s health routine,” she added.
The name Worldclass is also a playful nod to their favorite body part. “Worldclass is short for ‘world-class ass,’ which applies to all of us,” Beran said. “Bums are amazing in so many ways. They’re functional, they’re fun, they’re sexy. They’re also so important to our health, specifically gut and digestive health.”
“So when we say ‘Worldclass,’ we conjure not just something exceptional, but something that demands attention,” she added. “Your ass deserves care. We want you thinking about it and appreciating it and being proud of it.”
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