THE PROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION AND OLYMPIC FREESTYLE SKIER WINTER VINECKI CHALLENGE AMERICANS TO "GET HEALTHY" DURING PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

World's leading prostate cancer research nonprofit encourages Americans to take the "108 Miles in September" and "30 Foods in 30 Days" challenges while raising awareness about prostate cancer risk

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) challenges Americans to show their support for men affected by prostate cancer by taking a simple challenge to get active and eat healthfully during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in September. Olympic freestyle aerial skier and PCF celebrity ambassador Winter Vinecki joins PCF's "Get Healthy" campaign, a national effort to raise awareness about prostate cancer and show that making healthy lifestyle choices can have a meaningful impact in potentially reducing risk and improving outcomes.

"It's so important that men and their families understand the link between lifestyle and prostate cancer. I'm committed to do everything I can to support the "Get Healthy" challenge which, in turn, will raise awareness about prostate cancer risk and save lives," said Vinecki, a freestyle skier and member of Team USA at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.

"We are so honored to have Winter help PCF create awareness about the correlation between healthy lifestyles and prostate cancer risk," said PCF President and CEO Charles J. Ryan, MD. "Lifestyle modifications have been convincingly shown to reduce the risk of the onset of cancer and progression, including prostate cancer. Men who adopt these healthier lifestyle changes can help reduce prostate cancer risk, especially Black men who are at a higher risk for developing the disease."

One in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. For Black men, it's one in six, and they are twice as likely to die from it as white men. Lifestyle factors, like exercise and healthy eating, play a significant role in health risks, health equity, and outcomes. While eating healthy and exercising can't stop you from getting cancer, research shows that it can lower your risk.

To help create awareness about the link between healthy lifestyles and reduced cancer risk, PCF invites the public to take on the challenge of running, walking or hiking 108 miles in 30 days for the one in eight men who will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. They are invited to join a private Facebook group, create a personal Facebook fundraiser, and challenge themselves to raise money for life-saving prostate cancer research and walk away with better health. Americans can also take the "30 Foods in 30 Days" healthy eating challenge, by eating 30 foods selected from PCF's Periodic Table of Healthy Foods.

All healthy eating challenge participants will receive PCF's wellness guide, "The Science of Living Well, Beyond Cancer" which encompasses the latest scientific recommendations for cancer prevention and overall health, including actionable tips for optimal nutrition, exercise, and rest. The wellness guide is not just for men with living with prostate cancer, but for anyone interested in living well and reducing their risk for cancer.

During Prostate Cancer Awareness Month PCF is also launching a new patient-focused webinar series hosted by President and CEO Charles J. Ryan, MD. Each month, Dr. Ryan will speak with leaders in the field of prostate cancer diagnosis, treatment, research, and survivorship and take questions from the audience during these live virtual events. The inaugural two-part webinar will take place virtually on September 20, 2022, at 4:30 p.m. PDT/7:30 p.m. EDT. "Prostate 8" will feature a discussion of simple lifestyle changes and prostate health with PCF-funded investigator Dr. Stacey Kenfield, ScD, Associate Professor of Urology, University of California San Francisco. "Mental Health and Prostate Cancer" will focus on mental wellness with Dr. Andrew Roth, attending psychiatrist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Register for the webinar here. The Health and Wellness webinar is supported by a grant from AstraZeneca.

Join the Prostate Cancer Foundation's "Get Healthy" Challenges at https://www.pcf.org/pcam2022/. Connect with PCF at www.pcf.org, on Facebook (facebook.com/pcf.org),  Instagram (@prostatecancerfoundation), or Twitter (@pcfnews).

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world's leading philanthropic organization dedicated to funding life-saving prostate cancer research. Founded in 1993 by Mike Milken, PCF has been responsible for raising close to $1 billion in support of cutting-edge research by more than 2,200 research projects at 245 leading cancer centers in 28 countries around the world. Since PCF's inception, and through its efforts, patients around the world are living longer, suffering fewer complications, and enjoying better quality of life. PCF is committed to creating a global public square for prostate cancer, in service to our mission of ending death and suffering from the disease. Learn more at pcf.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Staci L. Vernick
Prostate Cancer Foundation 
[email protected] 
610-812-6092

SOURCE Prostate Cancer Foundation