In the Interest of Fair Play:   Depending on whom you ask, June (ACS) or September (CDC) is Prostate Cancer Awareness month complete with a blue ribbon to contrast the pink one for Breast Cancer Awareness. Obviously, awareness months underscore the need to be ever vigilant about your health.

Statistically, there is a strong parallel between breast cancer and prostate cancer:  230,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year vs. 216,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer. 30,000 men are killed by prostate cancer every year.  41,000 women die from breast cancer every year. 

Fortunately, breast cancer awareness is nearing saturation point. Prostate cancer awareness, however, is where breast cancer awareness was 15 years ago. Strikingly, for every $100 donated by individuals to breast cancer only $1 is donated to prostate cancer. 

Since its inception in 1996, Lee National Denim Day® has adhered to a simple philosophy: one day, one cause, one cure. Since its first year, Lee National Denim Day has raised more than $66 million for the fight against breast cancer.  In 2006, 30,000 companies raised $9 million for breast cancer by allowing their employees to wear denim to work on just one day. 

Last year, 56 corporations gave $200,000+ each in support of breast cancer awareness, education and research.  During the same period, only a fraction, 6 companies gave this amount to fight prostate cancer. 

The American Prostate Cancer Initiative is out to change that by launching  Sneakers@Work Day, which is the men's equivalent of Denim Day. June 13th 2008 marks the second Sneakers@Work Day. It’s a great idea and one that we will support with all our means. Their website has both individual and company registration forms.  Please check it out!