The Prostate Cancer
Prevention Project℠
(PCPP) is a result of
my personal experience with prostate cancer.
Mission
Our mission is to
significantly increase the prostate cancer survivor rate by
dramatically increasing the rate of early detection, with
the objective that that no man experiences a surprise,
post-metastasis prostate cancer diagnosis.
Early Detection
There are simple
blood tests* that allow for the early detection of prostate
cancer. We believe every man should have these tests, and
track their annual results, as part of an annual physical
exam that includes a DRE and consultations with their
doctor. [*PSA and Free PSA - new tests are in development].
Statistics
Prostate cancer
is the second most common cancer among men. 200,000 men are
diagnosed with prostate cancer in the United States every
year - one man every 2.63 minutes. 30,000 die each year
from the disease - one man every 17.52 minutes. The good
news is that research shows that prostate cancer is very
treatable if discovered
early, before it
has metastasized.
Ninety percent of all prostate cancers are
found still within the prostate gland, or only in nearby
areas, according to the American Cancer Society.
For those patients, the
five-year survival rate is nearly 100 percent.
But for
the men whose cancer has spread to distant parts of the
body when it is diagnosed, the five-year survival rate
falls to 34 percent.
Unfortunately, most men do not know about
these tests, what the test numbers mean, nor do they track
these values over time. They first become aware of them
when they themselves, or a close friend, are diagnosed with
prostate cancer.
Integrated Prevention
Program
Recent American
Cancer Society research states that "fully one-third of these [cancer] deaths
are linked to poor diet, physical inactivity, and carrying
excess weight."
Our goal is to leverage America's favorite pastimes to
create recreational and competitive events
that will simultaneously raise
prostate cancer awareness and serve as programs for ongoing
fitness and prostate cancer prevention.
Please visit the Programs section of our website to learn about
our ongoing and planned programs.
Who We
Are
The
PCPP is a registered 501 (c)(3) not for profit charity,
FEIN 20-4509127. Our legal name is the Prostate Cancer
Survivor Project, but we changed our working name in 2007
to the Prostate Cancer Prevention Project, to better fit
our mission.
From the Founder
Receiving a
cancer diagnosis is an intensely personal event and can
have a devastating psychological impact on the recipient.
The potential adverse effects of some prostate cancer
treatments causes men to be reluctant to talk about their
situation or to seek information from others who have gone
before them. The good news is that new treatment options
are significantly reducing these adverse side effects.
The challenge is to create a more open dialogue and
information exchange. We hope to accomplish this through
our event and team-based programs, which simultaneously
will serve to provide information and a vehicle for
lifestyle improvement and maintenance.
If you are an individual visiting our site, please feel
free to provide comments and suggestions. If you are a
corporation, please consider working with us to
establish a program at your organization or possibly
contributing to our ongoing efforts. If you belong to a
government entity, or other non-profit, we could
certainly use your support.
Review Our Programs and
Tell Us Your Thoughts
Please take a few
moments to explore our website and our current and future
programs. As an all volunteer organization, we depend on
the support (both time and financial) of people wishing to
join us in our mission.
We look forward to having you become part of Team PCPP.
Sincerely,
Robert Hess
Founder/Chairman
Prostate Cancer Survivor
General Disclaimer
I am not a physician, nor do we have any
physicians on staff. Information provided by The Prostate
Cancer Prevention Project is designed for informational
purposes only and is not medical advice nor should it be
used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a
disease. It reflects the personal prostate cancer
experience of the Founder. It is not a substitute for
professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a
health problem, consult your healthcare provider.
The information you will find
in the prostate cancer Blog relates to my personal
experience and my personal cancer battle plan, and contains
links to PCPP partner websites, such as the President's
Council on Physical Fitness, and other websites that I have
found to be personally useful.