Katie Couric, Anchor and Managing Editor of the CBS EVENING NEWS WITH KATIE COURIC, Will Report Live on THE EARLY SHOW During Smith's Colonoscopy

            EARLY SHOW co-anchor Harry Smith will undergo a colonoscopy on live television on Wednesday, March 10 (7:00-9:00AM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.  Katie Couric, Anchor and Managing Editor of the CBS EVENING NEWS WITH KATIE COURIC, will be with Smith as he preps for and undergoes the procedure at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Following Couric's on-air colonoscopy in 2000, University of Michigan researchers documented a 20% increase in the number of colonoscopies performed across the country, dubbing it "The Couric Effect." 

            In recognition of national colorectal cancer awareness month, Smith and Couric will report live on THE EARLY SHOW on Wednesday (10) from NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell as Dr. Mark Pochapin performs a colonoscopy on Smith. In addition to following Smith throughout his colonoscopy, viewers will also learn how the newsman prepared for the procedure, including taking a tour conducted by Couric of the Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell, named in honor of her late husband.

            After losing her husband to colon cancer in 1998, Couric embraced the fight against the disease, becoming a leading advocate.  In March 2000, Couric launched the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance with the Entertainment Industry Foundation and Lilly Tartikoff to support cutting-edge research and to conduct educational programs encouraging prevention and early detection of this country's second-leading cancer killer through proper screening.  Couric is also a co-founder of Stand Up To Cancer, which raises funds to accelerate groundbreaking research being conducted on various types of cancer by teams of scientists from different institutions.

THE EARLY SHOW is broadcast weekdays (7:00-9:00AM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.  David Friedman is the executive producer of the broadcast. 

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Press Contact:              Kelli Halyard    212-975-6795             kee@cbsnews.com