Scar Model

When 24-year-old Danielle Burgess of Lee’s Summit finally met a group of young people who had also survived colon cancer, she felt like a character on the television show Heroes. “We all have this weird thing about us that we share,” says Burgess, who beat the disease in her junior year of high school. Burgess and 12 other colon-cancer crushers show off their belly scars and tell their courageous stories in the 2009 edition of the Colondar — a calendar sponsored by the New York-based Colon Club. The sole Colondar model from the Kansas City area, Burgess hopes that her story will reach other young people who might think they’re immune to a disease that generally affects older people. “I didn’t come forward because it was so embarrassing,” she says. “I had the symptoms — blood in the stool, weight gain — but I didn ‘t speak up for years.” Burgess and her friends, family and doctors will celebrate her story from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m today with a Colondar release party at Calipetro’s (1196 Northeast Douglas in Lee’s Summit, 816-246-8665). The free event is open to the public and includes live music by Bryce Anderson, Lori Harris, Deserving Applause and others, as well as a colon trivia contest. Pick up a calendar and learn more at colonclub.com.

Sat., Oct. 11, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., 2008