ZERO—The End of Prostate Cancer

History

The National Prostate Cancer Coalition (NPCC) was founded in 1996 after a task force meeting called by the American Foundation for Urologic Disease (AFUD). The NPCC's stated goal was to unify every major major prostate cancer organization in the United States in an effort to, "bring public awareness to the magnitude of prostate cancer and to ultimately eradicate it."

Originally modeled after the National Breast Cancer Coalition, NPCC was created to raise funds for prostate cancer research and increasing public awareness of the disease. Founding members included the American Cancer Society, American Urological Association, and US TOO prostate cancer support network.

Through the years, the organization’s chairmen have included Michael Milken (president, Prostate Cancer Foundation) and Wesley S. Williams Jr. (former president, Harvard Law School Association). In 2008, the organization changed its name to ZERO—The Project to End Prostate Cancer. In 2012 the organization changed its name to ZERO - The End of Prostate Cancer.

Activities

ZERO has operated The Drive Against Prostate Cancer since 2002. This is a nationwide mobile screening program that provides prostate cancer tests at no charge. Local licensed physicians conduct a two-part early detection procedure, consisting of a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test and a physical examination. Test results are sent to a cancer center for evaluation, and each man receives a notification letter explaining the test results and providing links to information on the web, a toll-free phone number to ZERO, and a contact at the cancer center. Men with abnormal test results receive a second letter urging them to seek medical attention.

The Drive Against Prostate Cancer has traveled to the U. S. Capitol, the New York Stock Exchange, Times Square and major league ballparks, NASCAR races, state fairs, and cities and towns across the U.S. As of September 2009, more than 100,000 men have received prostate cancer tests at no charge through the Drive Against Prostate Cancer program.

Since the introduction of the PSA test in the 1990s as an early detection screening tool for prostate cancer, the prostate cancer death rate has decreased by more than 40 percent. Due to early detection, more than 90 percent of all prostate cancers are found in a localized stage, before spreading to other areas of the body, and the five-year survival rate for these patients approaches 100 percent.

Retired four-star U.S. Army General Colin Powell, former Secretary of State and also a prostate cancer survivor since his successful treatment in 2003, encourages all men to get regular prostate check-ups in order to protect their health. "Men should have regular prostate examinations," he said. "Black men are more susceptible to the disease than others. Regular exams allowed me to deal with this problem early and make a full recovery."

Other sponsored activities include:

• The annual ZERO Prostate Cancer Run/Walk, which took place in 42 cities in 2016, included more than 20,000 participants, and raised more than $3 million for prostate cancer research, education, free testing and direct patient support.

• An annual "ZERO Prostate Cancer Summit" on Capitol Hill, where advocates from across the U.S. meet with elected officials to discuss prostate cancer and early detection testing. ZERO marked its 10th anniversary of this event in 2009. Funding for the two major avenues of prostate cancer research – The Prostate Cancer Research Program and the National Cancer Institute grants – has remained virtually flat for nearly a decade.

• Information resource and referral to the public and medical community on prostate cancer research through its website, ZeroCancer.org, and brochures, books, and a weekly electronic newsletter named AWARE.

• An annual "Grow & Give" facial hair fundraising campaign in November to raise awareness and money for prostate cancer education programs.

• Prostate cancer awareness campaigns held each year such as the "Depend Campaign to End Prostate Cancer" in collaboration with the Kimberly-Clark Corporation, the "Know Your Score" golf tournament held in Pittsburgh, Toronto, Washington D.C. and Myrtle Beach, SC, and the annual "Prostate Cancer Awareness Month" proclamation issued in September by the U.S. President.

• Proceeds from the 2009 Great Prostate Cancer Challenge in Baltimore (GPCC) are used to support the American Urological Association Foundation Chesapeake Urology Scholar Fund. ZERO - The Project to End Prostate Cancer, in partnership with Chesapeake Urology Associates, PA donated $45,000 to the American Urological Association Foundation Chesapeake Urology Research Fund to award grants to prostate cancer research. To date, the GPCC race has contributed nearly $300,000 in scholarship monies to the AUA Foundation Chesapeake Urology Research Fund and has a goal of raising $750,000 in total. The AUA Foundation is the world's leading non-profit urological health organization and the official foundation of the American Urological Association. The AUA Foundation's mission is to promote health, provide hope and promise a future free of urological disease.

Media

ZERO’s spokespersons in past years have included Bob Dole, Dr. Joyce Brothers, Lou Rawls, Ken Griffey, Sr., Len Dawson, Jesse Jackson Jr. and Jim Boeheim. The organization’s work has been recognized in publications such as USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Sentinel, and the New York Daily News.

ZERO supported other cancer organizations in 2009 in launching the "Stand Up to Cancer" awareness campaign featuring tennis pro John McEnroe, who encouraged men age 40 and older to get an annual prostate cancer check-up.