Special event at Comerica Park promotes prostate health and cancer awareness
Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, in partnership with the Detroit Tigers and McLaren Health Care, the official health care system of the Tigers, will once again spread awareness about prostate cancer at the second annual Prostate Cancer Awareness Night. On Monday, July 25, the Tigers will welcome hundreds of prostate cancer survivors to the ballpark as they take on the San Diego Padres. Survivors will be honored on the field during the special pre-game ceremony which will include a Karmanos patient throwing the ceremonial first pitch. The first pitch of the game is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.
Comerica Park will be decorated with a blue theme to build awareness for prostate cancer. At Karmanos’ informational tables on the main concourse, a limited number of fans will receive a blue foam finger to root on the Tigers. The stories of three Karmanos cancer patients will be shared during the game, and fans will learn more about the disease and prevention throughout the ballpark.
“Educating the community about a common cancer among men is important, and it can also lead to someone making the decision to get their prostate checked,” said Elisabeth Heath, M.D., FACP, leader of the Genitourinary Oncology Multidisciplinary Team at Karmanos in Detroit. “Partnering with the Tigers for such a large event not only gives us an opportunity to bring more awareness to the importance of prostate screening, but we also get the opportunity to celebrate survivors. I, along with my colleagues across the Karmanos Cancer Network, have had the pleasure of treating many of the men who will be at Comerica Park for the game. I am so glad we can honor their perseverance and spread hope at this event.”
Fans can donate an amount of their choice to Karmanos when they purchase tickets at tigers.com/tickets. Donations made during ticket purchases for Monday, July 25 Prostate Cancer Awareness Night will aid in prostate cancer research taking place right here in Detroit.
Second to skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men, affecting roughly one in eight during their lifetime. And just behind lung cancer, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men. Most men who are diagnosed do not die – only 1 in 41 die from prostate cancer. This disease is most curable in its early stages, so catching it early is important. Karmanos, McLaren and the Detroit Tigers encourage men to talk with a health care provider about the benefits and risks of prostate cancer screening through a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test and a Digital Rectal Exam (DRE). Men should consider prostate screening at age 50 (age 45 for African Americans) if they are at average risk for prostate cancer. Those at a higher risk may start screening at an earlier age. Visit karmanos.org/prostatefacts for more information.
At Karmanos, the Genitourinary Oncology Multidisciplinary Team includes surgical oncologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, plastic surgeons, pharmacists, specialized nurse practitioners, dietitians, social workers and genetic counselors. The team is specialized and entirely focused on treating genitourinary cancers, including prostate cancer, and shares its collective expertise to create a customized treatment plan for each patient.