• In 2006 alone, it is predicted that more than 200,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, 12,690 of which are projected to occur in Texas (more than lung cancer diagnoses in the state).*
  
  
• Prostate cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men, with more than 27,000 men expected to die of the disease this year. An estimated 1,480 Texas men will die from prostate cancer in 2006, the fifth highest state rate in the nation.*
  
  
• On average, the rate of occurrence of prostate cancer is 60% higher in African American men than in Caucasian men.*
  
  
• Notwithstanding these statistics, the five-year survival rate for men whose prostate cancer is diagnosed in local and regional stages is close to 100%. Early diagnosis, in addition to treatment advancements, is said to account for this high survival rate.*
  

In addition to offering three free prostate cancer screening events in Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange, the "Gift of Life" initiates a targeted outreach campaign during September each year, advising area men about the need for annual testing and the availability of "Gift of Life" services. Specifically, the program makes a concerted effort to reach potential clients in traditionally underserved neighborhoods.


Outreach activities during September include:

• Television and radio public service announcements
  
  
• Billboards in Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange (English and Spanish)
  
  
• Banners in Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange (English, Spanish, and Vietnamese)
  
  
• Bench bulletins at Beaumont bus stops
  
  
• Yard signs in Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange
  
  
• 43,000 flyers distributed through City of Beaumont water bills
  
  
• 30,000 postcards mailed to low-income households in Jefferson, Orange, and Hardin Counties
  
  
• Flyers distributed throughout Southeast Texas (English and Spanish)
  
  
• Bus placards on Beaumont and Port Arthur city buses
  
  
• Prostate cancer awareness displays exhibited at libraries in Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange
  
  
• Advertisements in Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange newspapers
  
  
• More than 15,000 trayliners with special prostate cancer messages used at all 24 Southeast Texas McDonald's locations

Each year, a highly visible and well-respected community leader serves as honorary chair for Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Past chairs have included Jerry LeVias, college football Hall of Famer and former wide receiver for the Houston Oilers and San Diego Chargers, and The Most Reverend Curtis J. Guillory, SVD, DD, Bishop, Catholic Diocese of Beaumont, who is serving as chair again for 2006. Acting as spokesperson for the "Gift of Life" during September, the Honorary Chair actively communicates the program's critical message of early detection and preventative health care through television and radio, motivating men to consider screening. The Chair also attends screening events, visiting with clients.

Further, Sundays in August and September mark the commitment of the "Gift of Life" to continue its prostate cancer mission in local churches. Focusing on religious institutions with large numbers of African American congregants, prostate cancer survivors and other program volunteers share their knowledge with audiences about the potential health benefits of annual testing. Their personal testimonies tremendously impact men who are hesitant about the exam.

Read more about our Prostate Cancer Awareness Month activities in Volume 18 of "Sharing the "Gift of Life."


*American Cancer Society