New Program Encourages Athletes To Aim For The Finish Line For Prostate Cancer Research

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) has announced the launch of Athletes for a Cure, a fundraising and awareness program to assist individual athletes in their quest to raise money for better treatments and a cure for prostate cancer. All money raised from the program goes directly to the PCF.

Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in America and will affect one in six men. The Athletes for a Cure program provides athletes with multiple tools to create a home in the racing and fundraising community. Registered participants on http://www.athletesforacure.org can upload photos, personal stories and race information on their own page; set donation goals; send e-mails to their friends and family through the Friends Asking Friends(R) network; and watch as their donations climb.

"Our objective with Athletes for a Cure is to create partnerships with event organizers that stimulate greater participation in their events and allows athletes to realize their individual goals while contributing to a much larger cause. The result of these triangular relationships (event, participant, PCF) means more awareness and funding for this little understood disease," said Scott Zagarino, managing director of sports marketing for the PCF. "Athletes are intrinsically aware of their part as role-models for healthy, balanced and productive lives and Athletes for a Cure creates a platform for every participant to achieve their goals and to inspire others to reach theirs."

Throughout the years, the PCF has been approached by a number of people looking to combine their love of sport and their desire to help raise money for prostate cancer research. These athletes have ranged from Ironman hopefuls to recreational participants in hundreds of sports, but all share a deep desire to help researchers in the field of prostate cancer move forward by funding critical projects. The program has existed in a pilot phase for several months, garnering 150 participants and raising more than $40,000 -- even before its official launch.

"The initial success of Athletes for a Cure demonstrates the number of people who wish to couple training and racing with raising money for a disease that will affect one in six American men," said Leslie D. Michelson, chief executive officer of the PCF. "Athletes for a Cure gained encouraging momentum during its pilot phase and we anticipate scores of athletes -- from professionals to amateurs -- will participate."

How Athletes for a Cure Works

Athletes can raise money for prostate cancer research as part of any race event for which they are participating, from a local 5K to an international Ironman competition. In addition, there are several designated events with which the PCF is working closely to recruit athletes for the program including the USA Triathlon membership organization, Kaiser Permanente City of Los Angeles Triathlon, the Portland Marathon, CrossFit and CEO Challenges.

Participants register for free at http://www.athletesforacure.org, determine a fundraising goal, upload photos and create narrative for visitors, and send e- mails to their friends and family through the Friends Asking Friends(R) network. Athletes may also receive special fundraising rewards and incentives if they participate in designated races in which the PCF has a partnership relationship.

About the Prostate Cancer Foundation

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world's largest philanthropic source of support for prostate cancer research. Founded in 1993, the PCF has raised more than $260 million and provided funding for prostate cancer research to more than 1,200 researchers at 100 institutions worldwide. The PCF has a simple, yet urgent goal: to find better treatments and a cure for recurrent prostate cancer. For more information, visit http://www.prostatecancerfoundation.org.

Prostate Cancer Foundation
http://www.athletesforacure.org/
http://www.prostatecancerfoundation.org/