September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and Northside Hospital is partnering with the Georgia Prostate Cancer Coalition (www.georgiapcc.org) and high schools around the state to bring awareness and give a "show of support" by observing September 21-26, 2015 as "Blue Week" throughout high school football in the state of Georgia.
This is the second annual "Blue Week" opportunity for GHSA schools, joining the long tradition of Pink Week (which is Sept. 7-12 this fall). Also, for the first time this year, the GHSA is allowing it's member schools to add a "Gold Week" Sept. 14-19 to help raise awareness of Childhood Cancer.
Importance
Georgia ranks No. 5 in the country on deaths from Prostate Cancer as 1 out of every 6 men will get diagnosed with prostate cancer with 1 out of 3 African American men getting diagnosed. Prostate cancer is the No. 2 cancer killer in men, second only to lung cancer.
Support
For the week of September 21st thru September 26th, any of the 411 GHSA high school football teams that choose to can have blue ribbon decals on their helmets. Coaches can wear blue wristbands and referees can be throwing blue penalty flags. Blue ribbons will be stenciled on the playing fields of the schools that choose to participate and public service announcements will be made during halftime.
We all know that men do not like to go to doctor’s and that the wife usually pushes them to go, adds Miller. “With both parents at the football game, hopefully the son, daughter or mom will force dad to get checked.”
Per the GPCC: 100% of all funds raised or donated are used to achieve our mission of awareness, education and free prostate cancer screenings. In 2014, approximately 1300 men were screened and in 2015, that number should hit 2000.
Remember, let every member of the family know that prostate cancer can be cured if detected early.
About the Georgia Prostate Cancer Coalition
Founded in 2000, the Georgia Prostate Cancer Coalition is a non-profit (501 c3) that strives to eliminate deaths due to prostate cancer in Georgia. The mission is to build awareness, provide education, offer free prostate cancer screening for men in Georgia and support Prostate Cancer research.
About Northside Hospital
Northside Hospital is a leading cancer hospital in Georgia, and is the sole sponsor of this year’s Blue Week event. Northside is one of Atlanta’s largest and most respected health care systems, consisting of three acute-care hospitals (838 beds) and more than 120 outpatient service locations across Georgia. Northside specialists perform more surgeries than any other hospital in Georgia and more babies are born at Northside Hospital in Atlanta than at any other hospital in the country. Visit www.northside.com.
*Note: The GPCC is the largest Prostate Cancer Organization in the State of Georgia.
For more information:
Off-site PR contact: Rick Limpert, (209) 920-7425 or email: Rick.Limpert@amail.com
GPCC contact; Frank Catroneo, (770) 619-0710
Website: www.GeoraiaPCC.org
Twitter: @GaPCCinfo
Facebook: www.facebook.com/gapcc
