Big Crowds Expected At The 7th Annual ZERO Prostate Cancer Challenge
BALTIMORE (WJZ)—It started right here in Baltimore, and it's become a nationwide event. On Sunday, hundreds will gather in Towson for the ZERO Prostate Cancer Challenge.
Ron Matz reports it's all about raising money and awareness about an important men's health issue.
It's the seventh year for the ZERO Prostate Cancer Challenge. Dr. Sanford Siegel and Chesapeake Urology started the event now in 34 cities to raise awareness about the disease.
"We started here in Baltimore in 2007. We had about 1,000 runners. We already have over 1,400 people registered for Sunday. We're hoping for 1,600 or 1,700 runners this year for our ZERO Prostate Cancer Challenge," Siegel said.
Survivors will join the big crowd at Towson University's Unitas Stadium on Sunday.
"Almost a quarter of a million men will get prostate cancer this year. About 28,000 will die from prostate cancer. Men don't have to die from this disease. If this disease is diagnosed early, these men will be cured," Siegel said.
One hundred fifty Boy Scouts of America will be there.
"We will go to bed early Saturday night because Sunday we're going to be waking up at 5:30 a.m. We'll be out on the race course at 6 a.m. We have 150 people coming. We'll have over 900 community service hours donated to our community for this race," said Adam Spence, Dulaney district commander of Boy Scouts of America.
This year the challenge has expanded.
"We're very proud of the event because it does raise awareness of men's health issues. They have kind of been pushed to the back. We want men to realize it's important not only for them, but for their families and their community," Siegel said.
This is expected to be the biggest prostate cancer run ever.
"We are going to talk to these boys about what this race is about. We've encouraged them to look at the materials, so they come here informed and know what they are supporting this weekend," Spence said.
You can still register for the race. For more information, click here.
WJZ is a proud sponsor of the Zero Prostate Cancer Challenge as part of our Continuing Community Commitment.
