Robert Warren Hess, PCAP Founder & CEO
Welcome to The Prostate Cancer Awareness Project (PCAP)
You likely have arrived here through a search for information about prostate cancer or as a result of visiting one of our numerous prostate cancer awareness event website. Thanks for visiting. The PCAP is a result of my personal battle with prostate cancer (diagnosed in 2002 and treated in 2003) and represents my effort to help men not become a prostate cancer victim.
Why We Focus on Early Detection
One in every six men will be stricken with prostate cancer, but simple PSA blood tests* allow for the early detection of prostate cancer. We believe every man should have these tests (and personally track their annual test results) as part of an annual physical exam that includes a DRE and consultations with their doctor. [*PSA and Free PSA].
Why We Developed Our Free ProstateTracker Early Detection Tool
Prostate cancer usually has few symptoms until it has progressed to the point that it is potentially life threatening. There are more new cases of prostate cancer each year than breast cancer, but men’s natural reluctance to talk about medical issues means that a prostate cancer diagnosis often comes when the prostate cancer is too far advanced for effective treatment.
At present, medical science has not been able to develop a test that can tell which prostate cancers are aggressive and lethal and which are more benign. While it is not perfect, the prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test currently is the best available test for detecting prostate cancer.
The PSA test is most useful when a man’s annual PSA values are viewed on a longitudinal basis, meaning that the PSA values from previous years are compared to each other. A trend of rising PSA values is a cause for concern. The rise could be caused by factors other than prostate cancer; however, prostate cancer could be present. Men with rising PSA values should talk with their doctor or medical services provider about the cause.
Until ProstateTracker, men and their families did not have a simple tool to track annual PSA test results and compare the results over time. ProstateTracker provides this critical ability.
ProstateTracker is free to everyone. Men simply activate their free account at prostatetracker.org. ProstateTracker clearly shows any rise in PSA test results and sends an email reminder when the next annual PSA test is due.
Why The PCAP Exists – The Prostate Cancer Epidemic
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men; approximately 240,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the United States alone every year – one man every 2.63 minutes, and roughly 30,000 die each year from the disease – one man every 17.52 minutes. The good news is that research shows that prostate cancer is very treatable, but only if it discovered early, before it has metastasized.
Ninety percent of all prostate cancers are found still within the prostate gland, or only in nearby areas, according to the American Cancer Society. For those patients, the five-year survival rate is nearly 100 percent.
But for the men whose cancer has spread to distant parts of the body when it is diagnosed, the five-year survival rate falls to a mere 34 percent!
Unfortunately, most men do not know about the PSA test, what the test numbers mean, nor do they track these values over time to detect a dangerous rise. Most men first become aware of these tests when they themselves, or a close friend, are diagnosed with prostate cancer.
The PCAP Mission
Our mission is to significantly increase the prostate cancer survivor rate by dramatically increasing the rate of early detection, with the objective that that no man experiences a surprise, post-metastasis prostate cancer diagnosis. We do this through awareness events around the country and through our free early detection tool, ProstateTracker.
Integrated Prevention Program
Recent American Cancer Society research states that “Fully one-third of these [cancer] deaths are linked to poor diet, physical inactivity, and carrying excess weight.”
The PCAP leverages one of America’s favorite pastimes, bicycling, to create recreational and competitive events that simultaneously raise prostate cancer awareness and serve as programs for ongoing fitness and prostate cancer prevention. Visit our programs at the “Black Tire Affairs” tab.
Who We Are
The PCAP is a registered 501 (c)(3) not for profit charity, FEIN 20-4509127. Our legal name is the Prostate Cancer Survivor Project, but we changed our working name in 2007 to the Prostate Cancer Awareness Project, to better reflect our awareness and early detection mission.
From the Founder
Receiving a prostate cancer diagnosis is an intensely personal event and can have a devastating psychological impact on the recipient. The potential adverse effects of some prostate cancer treatments causes men to be reluctant to talk about their situation or to seek information from others who have gone before them. The good news is that new treatment options are significantly reducing these adverse side effects.
Our collective challenge as men is to raise awareness by creating more dialogue and information exchange between men about prostate cancer.
If you are an individual visiting our site, we would love to hear your comments and suggestions.
If you are a corporation, please consider applying to become a partner or program sponsor.
If you belong to a government entity, or other non-profit, we could certainly use your support.
Review Our Programs and Tell Us Your Thoughts
Please take a few moments to explore our website and our current and future programs. As an all volunteer organization, we depend on the support (both time and financial) of people wishing to join us in our mission.
We look forward to having you become part of Team PCAP.
Robert Warren Hess
CEO/Founder
Prostate Cancer Survivor, Class of 2003
Connect with me on LinkedIn
General Disclaimer
I am not a physician, nor does The PCAP have any physicians on staff. Information provided by The Prostate Cancer Awareness Project is designed for informational purposes only and is not medical advice nor should it be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. It reflects the personal prostate cancer experience of the Founder. It is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, consult your healthcare provider. The information you will find in the prostate cancer Blog relates to my personal experience and my personal cancer battle plan, and contains links to PCAP partner websites, such as the President’s Council on Physical Fitness, and other websites that I have found to be personally useful.
