Ryan Reynolds’ humorous colonoscopy video has earned a prestigious international award for Best Public Service and Activism in the Video category at the 27th annual Webby Awards. The video, which aimed to promote colon cancer awareness, was made in partnership with Lead From Behind, a colon cancer awareness campaign. Reynolds made the video after losing a bet with fellow actor Rob McElhenney and turned it into an opportunity to spread awareness about colon cancer screening.
The video featured Reynolds and McElhenney talking about the importance of getting screened for colon cancer, which is one of the leading causes of death from cancer. The pair also revealed their bet, which was that Reynolds wouldn’t be able to learn Welsh, and that the loser would have to film their colonoscopy. Reynolds ended up losing the bet and filmed his first colonoscopy.
Reynolds’ colonoscopy detected an “extremely subtle polyp,” which was removed. McElhenney’s screening found three polyps, emphasizing the importance of screening and surveillance for prevention. The video aimed to encourage people to get screened and to raise awareness that colon cancer is preventable when caught early.
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in men and the third leading cause of death from cancer in women. The good news is that 90 percent of deaths from colon cancer can be prevented if caught early. The video’s recognition at the Webby Awards highlights the power of social media in spreading important messages and raising awareness about health issues.
Lead From Behind expressed gratitude for the award and thanked those who voted for the campaign, stating that they are “on a mission to make colon cancer famous!” The Webby Awards received more than 14,000 entries from over 70 countries worldwide this year and are judged by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences, with over 2,000 members voting on the best internet content.