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Md. Man's Story Inspiring Others To Get Checked For Prostate Cancer

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Every two and a half minutes, a man is diagnosed with prostate cancer. If diagnosed and treated early, the cure is almost 100 percent.

Jessica Kartalija explains one Maryland man's story is inspiring others to get checked.

It's so common, country music singer Jimmy Charles wrote a song about it. He was inspired by Phil Shulka -- one of 238,000 men diagnosed with prostate cancer every year.

"I ignored my PSA for four years. My wide demanded that I go get tested. And when I did get tested, I had prostate cancer very badly," said Phil.

"He wasn't having any symptoms at all. He had a general physical and his PSA came back elevated," his wife, Maggie Shulka, said.

Many men, like Phil, don't have any symptoms and don't realize they're at risk.

"More men get prostate cancer than women get breast cancer, but men are reluctant to talk about it," Phil said.

In an effort to raise awareness, this weekend, thousands will run in the Zero Prostate Cancer Challenge.

"We've raised about $3 million thus far over the last nine years, and we're hoping to continue this to hopefully one day find the cure," said Dr. Sanford Segal, Chesapeake Urology.

It's been eight years since Phil was diagnosed and treated. Now he's on a mission to get more men to get tested.

"There's no doubt in my mind he would not be here today. He would not have been here for the birth of my second child, Nicholas," his daughter, Chrissy Lake, said. "He wouldn't be here to experience any of that had he not gotten tested years ago."

"He's always at my soccer games, lacrosse games. He's always there for me," Phil's granddaughter, Ashlynn Carmen, said.

Unfortunately, this year, about 30,000 men will die of prostate cancer. But if diagnosed and treated early, the cure rate is nearly 100 percent.

The ninth annual Zero Prostate Cancer Challenge is this Sunday at 8 a.m. at Towson University. WJZ's Marcus Washington will be there.

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