In the United States, September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. There are many ways people from across the country can get involved, including volunteering, fundraising, and sharing information.

Prostate Cancer Awareness Month aims to spread awareness about prostate cancer and raise funds to support cancer research and help people with prostate cancer.

It is also a time when people who have or have had prostate cancer, as well as their families and loved ones, can share their experiences with others.

This article will explain why Prostate Cancer Awareness Month is important and detail ways a person can get involved.

A photo of people's feet running on pavement during a charity fundraiser. People may hold fundraising events during prostate cancer awareness month.Share on Pinterest
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Raising awareness about prostate cancer is extremely important because it is one of the most common types of cancer that impacts males. Around 1 in 8 people assigned male at birth living in the United States will develop prostate cancer at some point.

According to the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and the most common type of non-skin cancer diagnosed in males living in the United States. Prostate cancer is also the second most common type of cancer in the United States after breast cancer.

Education and awareness

As with almost all types of cancer, the earlier prostate cancer cases are diagnosed, the better the outlook. Effective screening tests can help catch prostate cancer cases early, often before it spreads.

Events like Prostate Cancer Awareness Month can help educate people on important matters like when and how to undergo cancer screening.

Raising awareness about prostate cancer is also important because making some lifestyle changes may help reduce the risk of developing it. Though prostate cancer is not fully preventable, changes that may help reduce a person’s risk include:

  • quitting smoking
  • maintaining a healthy body weight
  • getting regular exercise
  • eating a healthy, balanced diet

Read our overview article on prostate cancer.

Given the wide range of events, challenges, and campaigns that happen during prostate cancer awareness month, there are plenty of ways to get involved. Below are some of the most popular ways to commemorate Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

Volunteering

Volunteer to help organize, staff, or clean up after fundraising or awareness events.

Some people may also choose to help get people to medical appointments, run errands for them, or check in on them at home.

Fundraising

There are many ways to raise money for prostate cancer awareness month that can help improve research efforts and support people with prostate cancer.

Common fundraising campaigns include:

Walk or run races

Advocacy groups often host marathons, walkathons, or endurance events during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, where participants raise money by asking people or local businesses to pledge a certain amount per mile completed.

People who register their fundraising pages for these events with the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) will receive a shirt to wear during the race or walk.

Set up a fundraising page

Fundraising pages can be set up using many different types of online platforms. Set up a fundraising page with the PCF here and use social media to tell others where to donate.

Social media platforms like Facebook allow users to create and promote fundraising campaigns or pages.

Fundraising pages can also support those with prostate cancer or help remember people who have died from it.

Get creative

People can think of things they are good at and find ways to raise funds using them.

For example, artists can sell or auction off their work. People who work in trade industries can also offer their services as prizes or donate a portion of what they charge.

Other popular ways to fundraise include:

  • Run, facilitate, or attend charity events like auctions, game nights, specialty dinners, dances, movie nights, or golf games.
  • Set up or facilitate a lotto or 50/50 draw.
  • Set up a fundraising page instead of presents for birthdays and holidays, or turn parties for these events into fundraising parties.
  • Go door to door, asking neighbors to make donations.
  • Ask store or venue managers if they’ll allow a table or donation bin to be set up near the entrances or exits.

Sharing information

Sharing information about prostate cancer, such as educational or awareness materials or facts and personal stories is a great way to get involved with Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

Ways to share information about prostate cancer include:

  • sharing posts, reels, stories, or tweets on social media using hashtags such as #ProstateAwarenessMonth or #ProstateCancer
  • with permission, placing educational pamphlets in workplaces, venues, libraries, or other public spaces
  • handing out educational guides from charities to friends, loved ones, co-workers, or neighbors

Sending an e-card

Getting involved in prostate cancer awareness funds is as easy as sending someone affected by prostate cancer an e-card that helps support the PCF.

#EatItToBeatIt

Sign up for the PCF’s #EatItToBeatIt campaign, which challenges participants to eat 30 healthy foods over 30 days.

Eating a healthy, balanced diet may reduce the risk of developing cancer. Participants can share images and info about their progress and the foods they eat using social media and the hashtag #EatItToBeatIt.

The PCF offers a toolkit for posting ideas.

Wearing promotional items

Buy or donate funds to receive items that promote Prostate Cancer Awareness Month or related organizations. This may include hats, pins, badges, sweaters, shirts, and jackets.

A person may also place bumper stickers related to the cause.

The PCF sends 10 light blue prostate awareness pins to people who donate at least $25.

Prostate cancer screening tests aim to detect cancer before it causes symptoms or spreads.

One screening test for prostate cancer measures blood levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a substance made by the prostate. High PSA blood levels may indicate prostate cancer.

Another screening test for prostate cancer is a digital rectal examination, where a doctor feels the prostate by inserting a finger into the rectum.

People at a high risk of developing prostate cancer may also decide to undergo genetic or genomic screening for prostate cancer.

Read more about accurate tests for prostate cancer.

Read about how prostate exams are done.

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in the United States, and there are plenty of ways to get involved.

Some of the most popular ways include:

  • fundraising or donating money
  • volunteering to help with events or donating services or prize items
  • organizing lotteries or auctions
  • spreading awareness or sharing personal experiences with others, in person and on social media
  • distributing educational resources or placing them in public places
  • joining challenges or campaigns, like the #EatItToBeatIt challenge
  • wearing clothing or other items that promote prostate cancer organizations or charities

To learn more about how to get involved with prostate cancer awareness month, look for information on the official websites of some of the top groups promoting prostate cancer awareness and research, such as the:

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