Walking the Walk on Team Colonoscopy
When Sophie Gabler took a position on the global GI team at Olympus, it wasnât her first medtech role, but she hadnât worked in gastroenterology before. âI was very new to this space,â she recalled. Now on the heels of her third-year work anniversary, she has been fully emersed in the OlympusÂź GI portfolio, including supporting the launch of the and its related imaging technologies, as well as developing strategic assets for Olympusâ campaign.
It was at her first national sales meeting that the colorectal cancer (CRC) screening message really started to take root personally. âBrooks [Bell] ⊠came in and talked about her experience with colon cancerâ said Gabler, referring to the self-proclaimed âColonoscopy Enthusiastâ and founder who has been an outspoken ally of Olympus and a CRC screening advocate. Bellâs emphasis on the highly preventable nature of CRC and the rising rates of the disease in a younger generation1 is a message that stuck with Gabler.
Read more about Brooks Bellâs experience or listen to the OlympusTalks podcast.
âThe Olympus benefit came up in that meeting,â said Gabler, referring to the company policy to cover the cost of screening colonoscopies for all employees, not just those between 45 and 75 years of age based on the recommended guidelines.2 Natalie Rutman, Director of Public Relations and Social Media at Olympus, shared her with Gabler about taking advantage of the colonoscopy screening benefit. The momentum was building.
âLetâs do it!â
âMy boss said she was going to do it ⊠and I was like, âwait a second, I want to look into this.ââ Another colleague of Gablerâs also committed to having a colonoscopy. âThe team actually helped push it forward in our rally cry earlier this year in March [during] CRC month,â she recalled, referring to . âThat was when the team was like, âIâm doing it. Iâm doing it. Letâs do it!ââ
“âThe two paths are, one, they donât find anything ... thatâs path A and thatâs fabulous. Path B is they find something, and you are able to address it at that time ⊠before it gets worse.”
âWhy are you here?â
Gabler soon learned that the healthcare system isnât always used to such proactive preventative pursuits. âThey were definitely like, âWhy are you here?ââ Gabler said of her reception at the prescreening appointment. âI know itâs going to sound weird, but I get this benefit with my company,â she told the attendant and showed her a flyer, adding, âI just want to get screened.â âWow,â the doctor reacted. âI never heard of this. Do they do this for everyone?â
Prep tips and hacks
Once the date was set, Gabler knew to clear her calendar. âI made sure to schedule it on a free day,â she said. In researching her plan, she found a solution to get her through a roughly 30-hour fast. âThe prep was genuinely super easy. I [chose] the prep, so it was two [doses] ⊠because my colonoscopy was 2:30-3 p.m. the following day,â she said. âI did one at 5 p.m. the day before and then one the next morning before the [exam]. I think everything was cleared out of my system the next morning.â Gabler said she got through the hunger bouts with Jolly Ranchers hard candy and clear broth from a Vietnamese Pho restaurant in her neighborhood.
Read more prep tips on the page.
A thumbs-up experience
âI was definitely a little bit nervous going in,â Gabler admitted. âBut at the end I felt so great. They came out and said, âYou had no polyps ⊠No problems. You look healthy. Everything is fantastic.â That made it so worth it to me just to hear that ⊠It made any amount of nerves and prep process totally worth it.â
Sophie Gabler, 28, giving a thumbs up after her colonoscopy.
Her message to others is: âWhy not?â Citing rising incidence rates of CRC in younger patients, coupled with the fact that CRC is highly preventable,1 she adds, âThe two paths are, one, they donât find anything ... thatâs path A and thatâs fabulous. Path B is they find something, and you are able to address it at that time ⊠before it gets worse.â
Itâs also nice to feel supported by your employer, she adds. âItâs something that Olympus really believes in, so much so that theyâre willing to invest in employeesâ health. To me thatâs a no-brainer. Why not get it done?â
Brooks Bell is a paid endorser of Olympus Corporation, its subsidiaries, and/or its affiliates.
Read more stories about colorectal cancer awareness and screening.
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References
- Cancer.org . Accessed October 23, 2025.
- US Preventive Services Task Force; Davidson KW, Barry MJ, Mangione CM, et al. Screening for Colorectal Cancer: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. JAMA. 2021 May 18;325(19):1965-1977. Erratum in: JAMA. 2021 Aug 24;326(8):773.
