By Carol Moody Becker
October 18, 2004

Sixty-three mayors reported issuing proclamations declaring September 2004 as National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month (NPCAM), with the majority of these beautiful and artistic documents being displayed in the Conference of Mayors lobby. Mayors also wrote letters to the editor, taped Public Service Announcements, and held press conferences. And, several mayors undertook special initiatives to promote prostate cancer awareness and/or screening.

Englewood (CA) Mayor Roosevelt F. Dorn promoted his annual free prostate screening event through a local church, with special outreach to African American men — a population at highest risk for prostate cancer. Mayor Dorn also helped raise funds for prostate cancer screening through "Real Men Cook." Beaumont (TX) Mayor Evelyn Lord supported the regional outreach initiative for medically underserved men — especially African Americans — to receive free prostate cancer screening, a service supported by the Julie Rogers "Gift of Life" Program. Medford (MA) Mayor Michael J. McGlynn urged all city and school employees to get cancer screening in October and November; and he participated in his city's Annual Prostate Cancer Awareness Walk.

District of Columbia Mayor Anthony Williams took advantage of September to announce a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to support a citywide research and education initiative on prostate cancer and African American men. For details on this grant, visit the USCM Web site: usmayors.org/cancer and click on 2004 Cancer Information Exchange.

Providence (RI) Mayor David Cicilline emphasized the importance of awareness during his NPCAM press conference: "Although researchers have not yet found a way to prevent prostate cancer, it's my hope that through increased awareness, more men will take proactive steps to take control of their health."

And, Utica (NY) Mayor Timothy Julian during his NPCAM press conference summed up the mayors' concerns about prostate cancer: "Prostate cancer is not just a man's disease. It devastates families." He added that is why he and close to 150 other mayors have joined the Mayors' Coalition for Prostate Cancer Awareness and Education, a major USCM health initiative.

For more details about USCM's Cancer Awareness Program, contact Crystal D. Swann, Assistant Executive Director, U.S. Conference of Mayors, by e-mail: cswann@usmayors.org; or by phone: 202-293-7330; or visit the USCM Web site: usmayors.org/cancer.