Palm Springs, CA
This year’s Palm Springs Pride Festival will feature a unique and educational experience as Cheeky Charity, a local nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness for colorectal and anal cancer in the LGBTQ+ community, brings its ‘cheeky’ touch to the event. Located at the corner of N Palm Canyon Dr and W Tahquitz Canyon Way, Cheeky Charity will offer attendees the chance to walk through a larger-than-life sized inflatable colon, provided in partnership with the California Colorectal Cancer Coalition (C4) and the Greater Palm Springs Pride organization.
The inflatable colon is both fun and informative, allowing festival-goers to literally step inside and learn about colorectal and anal cancers, as well as other gastrointestinal health issues. This interactive experience will help break down the barriers of discussing these cancers, which disproportionately impact LGBTQ+ individuals due to healthcare disparities.
“We’re excited to bring a little cheekiness to Palm Springs Pride while raising awareness about serious health issues,” said David Russo, founder of Cheeky Charity. “Colorectal and anal cancers are highly preventable, but they need to be talked about. What better way to do that than taking photos while walking through a giant colon?”
In addition to the educational experience, Cheeky Charity will offer giveaways and raffle items to those who complete the ‘Commit to Your Colon’ pledge at their booth. Among the raffle prizes is a bidet donated by Hello Tushy, adding a cheeky spin to the campaign to encourage better colorectal health. Other giveaways will include fun and practical items, designed to keep attendees thinking about cancer prevention and screening.
Event Details
- Where: N Palm Canyon Dr & W Tahquitz Canyon Way
- When: Saturday, November 2nd from 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM and Sunday, November 3rd from 11:00 AM – 4:30 PM
- What: Inflatable colon exhibit, giveaways, raffles, and the chance to learn about cancer prevention in a fun and engaging way.
Cheeky Charity is headquartered in Palm Springs at 1555 S Palm Canyon Drive. The organization has had a presence at 20 Pride Festivals across the country throughout 2024, including stops in East Coachella Valley, New York City, San Francisco, Houston, Raleigh, Seattle, and Tucson. In addition to its awareness campaigns, Cheeky Charity offers support groups for LGBTQ+ colorectal and anal cancer patients and survivors, which meet on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of every month.
The organization is funded in part by the American Cancer Society, New York State Department of Health, California Colorectal Cancer Coalition (C4), City of Palm Springs, RAP Foundation, and REAF (Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation). To learn more about Cheeky Charity and the services they provide, visit cheekycharity.org.