RUMFORD — Nearly four years ago the Rumford Hospital operating room nurses created a ribbon-shaped flower bed in front of the hospital and planted it with pink tulips that have bloomed for three springs, reminding passers-by of breast cancer awareness. Each summer, after the tulips have faded, the nurses have planted annual flowers in the ribbon bed.

This year, the flowers were chosen and planted by Alyssa and Hailey Akers in memory of their father Chris Akers, who succumbed to colon cancer several years ago. As a blue ribbon signifies colon cancer awareness, the twins asked to plant blue annuals in the ribbon garden this year. Their mother, Kim Akers, is an operating room nurse who has participated in the planting in past years.

The twins were particularly motivated when they visited the giant colon display in Lewiston earlier in the spring. They also wrote a letter to the editor urging people to have colonoscopies to check for colon cancer.

Alyssa and Hailey Akers, who will be fifth-graders in the fall, both hope for medical careers. “I want to find a cure for colon cancer,” said Alyssa, who wants to be a researcher. Hailey is thinking about becoming an orthodontist. Meanwhile, they are both happy to be occasional gardeners.