Welcome to PCF Breakthrough

From the desk of Lori Tessel, Chief Philanthropy Officer

Welcome to the very first edition of PCF Breakthrough. I’m so glad you’re here.

One of the greatest joys of joining the Prostate Cancer Foundation has been getting to know the extraordinary people behind this mission: patients, families, researchers, donors, and advocates who all share a common belief that a future without prostate cancer is possible.

In my first months here, I’ve been moved again and again by how people turn personal experience into meaningful action. You’ll feel that spirit in this issue’s story of the Nesto family, who honored their father’s memory by rallying their community around research. Supporters like you, through events, advocacy, volunteer leadership, and philanthropy, are helping accelerate the breakthroughs that save and improve lives around the world.

We created this newsletter to bring you a little closer to the people and stories driving our mission forward.

Thank you for being part of this community and for believing, alongside us, that a cure is within reach.

With gratitude,

Lori Tessel
Chief Philanthropy Officer

Prostate Cancer Foundation

Community Spotlight: Striking Out Cancer One Game at a Time

Salvatore (“Sal”) Joseph Nesto, Jr. was a devoted husband, father, coach, and mentor who inspired generations of young athletes in New Providence, New Jersey. To honor their father’s prostate cancer journey, Sal’s sons, Derek and Matt, each launched a “Strikeout Cancer” initiative in support of the Prostate Cancer Foundation — Matt first at Moravian University in 2016, and Derek later at New Providence High School, where he partnered with the baseball team to reinstate the tradition in 2023.

Under the care of 2011 PCF Young Investigator Dr. Dana Rathkopf, Sal fought prostate cancer for 16 years. When he passed away on July 8, 2024, his family asked that memorial gifts be directed to PCF in his honor. Today, the Strikeout Cancer tradition lives on at New Providence High School, having raised $8,818 for PCF this year alone and more than $20,000 since it began. It stands as a lasting tribute to Sal’s legacy and a powerful reminder of how one community can help advance life-saving prostate cancer research.

I was born in 2004, and my dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2008. I don’t remember my dad’s life without him having the disease. We’re helping to raise awareness and money to support the millions of men today living with prostate cancer, and hopefully, we are also playing a minor role in contributing to the search for a cure. – Derek Nesto

The New Providence High School Baseball Team’s story is a reminder that the most meaningful fundraising campaigns are born from personal experience. Learn more about Sal’s story here. If you feel inspired to create your own, visit pcf.org. Follow the Pioneers at New Providence Baseball on Instagram.