September is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and we were requested to dedicate this space to bringing information to you about this devastating disease and how we can help join the efforts to cure it by the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF).
According to the PCF, it is the most common non-skin cancer in America, affecting 1 in 6 men.
In 2012, more than 242,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and more than 28,000 men will die from the disease.
One new case occurs every 2.1 minutes and a man dies from prostate cancer every 18.6 minutes.
It is estimated that there are more than 2 million American men currently living with prostate cancer.
As with all cancers, “cure” rates for prostate cancer describe the percentage of patients likely remaining disease-free for a specific time. In general, the earlier the cancer is caught, the more likely it is for the patient to remain disease-free.
Because approximately 90% of all prostate cancers are detected in the local and regional stages, the cure rate for prostate cancer is very high—nearly 100% of men diagnosed at this stage will be disease-free after five years. By contrast, in the 1970s, only 67% of men diagnosed with local or regional prostate cancer were disease-free after five years.
One group dedicated to the cure of the disease is ZERO–The Project to End Prostate Cancer.
ZERO is Better Business Bureau accredited charity committed to, in the words of its CEO Skip Lockwood, “making prostate cancer a bad memory.”
Over the past 15 years, federal investment in prostate cancer research has increased from $80 million to more than $450 million annually because of ZERO.
And nearly every treatment breakthrough in prostate cancer in the last five years has been funded by, at least in part, federal funding secured by ZERO.
The grassroots efforts spearheaded the creation of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program for Prostate Cancer at the Department of Defense.
ZERO has also created a series of successful challenges to raise money and awareness in the fight against prostate cancer.
The Great Prostate Cancer Challenge & Dash for Dad were pioneered by the group and in 2008, they started a race series by partnering with large group urology practices to build the premier men’s health event series in America. In 2011, they hosted more than 27 races with 15,000 participants.
In the Drive Against Prostate Cancer, more than 110,000 men have been tested for free onboard the Drive Against Prostate Cancer mobile medical program since 2002. From tracking high PSA test results and then alerting those men to see their doctor, the Drive has saved as many as 12,000 lives.
Finally the Summit to End Prostate Cancer, the largest annual prostate cancer advocacy gathering in Washington, D.C., is the premier legislative conference focused on issues facing prostate cancer patients, survivors and their families. The event includes a Congressional reception, discussions with key legislators, legislative staff and other government decision makers, and networking opportunities with prostate cancer advocates from around the country and other key leaders in the advocacy world. ZERO staff offer training in grassroots advocacy, legislative process, fundraising and communications at the Summit.
ZERO affords everyone touched by this disease and those who just want to help, the opportunity to help combat this disease that impacts so many lives across America each day.
The group also encourages writing to Congress on behalf of the movement, asking house representatives not to consider proposed research cuts and and instead to consider proposing benefical legislative measures for the prostate cancer community.
If you or someone you know is suffering from this disease and would like to learn more about the benefits of advocacy please contact
ZERO-The Project to End Prostate Cancer 10 G St., NE · Suite 601 · Washington, DC 20002 · P: 202-463-9455 · F: 571-257-8559 wwwzerocancer.org
