Blue September Campaign with the Prostate Cancer Foundation Continues In Oakland to Raise Awareness

OAKLAND/September 22, 2011—Oakland City Hall has turned blue for one week, beginning on Sept. 19, 2011, to raise awareness and education for prostate cancer. The blue lighting is in conjunction with the Oakland Raiders who are promoting prostate cancer awareness at their home opener on Sunday, Sept. 25, 2011, the Oakland Black Fire Fighters Association and the Oakland Fire Department, who have been fundraising for advanced prostate cancer research all month.

Prostate cancer is a major American health problem that has long been misunderstood, and too little spoken of, among men and their families. Oakland activities join a list of other California landmarks that have turned blue including San Francisco City Hall, Los Angeles City Hall, Los Angeles International Airport, Capitol Records and the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

“The City of Oakland is proud to join in the efforts to promote prostate cancer awareness,” said Oakland City Council President Larry Reid. “I want to encourage everyone to take this time to learn more about prostate cancer that impacts our community.”

The September campaign represents a partnership with PCF and Blue September, an effort designed to educate American men about prostate cancer and encourage early detection and treatment. The Prostate Cancer Foundation is the beneficiary organization of the Blue September California campaign. All dollars raised for PCF will fund advanced prostate cancer research.

“Though prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in America, it can be managed.  Awareness and education that encourage men to receive annual screenings is critical for early detection, prevention and survival,” said King C. Wiley, President of the Oakland Black Fire Fighters Association and the Oakland Fire Department. “To honor the courage, strength and dedication of many of our members who fight for a cure, the Oakland Black Fire Fighters Association and the Oakland Fire Department are turning blue by wearing a commemorative light blue prostate cancer shirt to raise awareness during the month of September.” 

This year, more than 240,000 new cases of prostate cancer are projected to be diagnosed in the U.S. and more than 33,000 American men will die as a result. Worldwide, more than 16 million men and their families are challenged by prostate cancer. Blue September is raising awareness worldwide for prostate cancer during September by encouraging men over 40 to talk to their doctor about prostate cancer screenings.

“Prostate cancer is to men what breast cancer is to women, yet open dialogue of the disease lags behind other cancers,” says Dan Zenka, senior vice president of communication at the Los Angeles-based Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF). “We are grateful to the City of Oakland for getting involved and it is our hope that Oakland residents will see more blue every September moving forward.” Zenka is also a patient with advanced prostate cancer.

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About the Prostate Cancer Foundation

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world’s leading philanthropic organization funding and accelerating research. Founded in 1993, PCF has raised more than $475 million and provided funding to over 1,600 research projects at nearly 200 institutions in 15 countries around the world. PCF advocates for greater awareness of prostate cancer and more efficient investment of governmental research funds supporting transformational cancer research. Our efforts have helped produce a 20-fold increase in government funding for prostate cancer. More information about PCF can be found at pcf.org.

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