Song About Prostate Cancer Inspired By Md. Man
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Chances are, you know someone who has prostate cancer. One in six men is affected with the disease, which can be treated if diagnosed in the early stages.
Jessica Kartalija reports now a powerful story is being told with a big connection to Baltimore.
He grew up in Ocean City, played football for Towson and is now a country music singer in Nashville. His song about prostate cancer is helping thousands of men ahead of this weekend's prostate challenge.
Men don't like to talk about it, but Jimmy Charles and his band are singing about it.
"When we went into writing this song, it was about creating awareness for men who tend to suffer in silence or think they don't have to get checked," said country singer Jimmy Charles.
"When you say you got cancer, man, I say you lost your mind," he sings.
Phil Shulka, a cancer survivor, inspired the song. Some 238,000 men like him will be diagnosed with prostate cancer every year--many with almost no symptoms.
"When I was 60 years old, I had gone four years without a PSA test, which is just a simple little blood test that tells you whether or not you have prostate cancer. But because I was running 15-20 miles a week, I thought, 'I'm fine. There's nothing wrong,'" Shulka said.
This weekend, thousands will run to raise awareness in the Zero Prostate Cancer Challenge.
"I've still got more miles here on this road," Charles sings.
This year, more than 30,000 men will die of prostate cancer. But if diagnosed and treated early, the cure rate is almost 100 percent.
"I struggled through the treatment, I fought hard through the pain. There were days where I would give up hope and give God all the blame," sings Charles.
"These guys have the souls of poets. They listened to my words and they put it into a beautiful song. I really think it can go ahead and help a lot of people," Shulka said.
"I'm here to help you all to understand that you can't fight this battle on your own, you ain't Superman," Charles sings.
Jimmy Charles will be performing at the run and then at the Greene Turtle in Towson following the race.
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