Hearing that a loved one has cancer is one of the most heart wrenching things I’ve experienced. As the feelings of bewilderment and helplessness wash over, the reality and fear that comes with this unexpected news settles in — could I lose this person I hold so dear? Like countless others, I’ve lived this story too many times. My best friend had breast cancer. Her husband had prostate cancer. And then cancer hit even closer to home. When my husband was diagnosed with throat cancer before the age of fifty, I knew I couldn’t allow myself to think I might lose him. I wasn’t about to let this terrible disease take another person I loved. So instead, I took control by taking action.

We cannot let ourselves be paralyzed by fear. We all have to take action in the fight against cancer. Of the many types of cancer, prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death among men in the United States. With one in six men diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, the disease currently affects more than two million men in this country.

What’s even more heartbreaking than these statistics is that most men don’t understand the risks surrounding prostate cancer, and they aren’t taking the steps to educate themselves. Why is that? We all know a lot of men refuse to see a doctor about anything short of an emergency. But beyond that ‘tough guy stereotype,’ when it comes to many different types of cancer — from colon to breast — people can be incredibly sensitive due to anxiety, stigma or sheer embarrassment. In turn, this can make people, men in particular, reluctant to call on friends and family for support or seek help from a medical professional. We have to change that! (Early detection can dramatically increase your odds of beating prostate cancer.)

Men and their loved ones must take stronger actions to educate themselves about this disease. It’s critical to have an open discussion with your doctor regarding any symptoms or signs, and when appropriate, screenings. Nearly 240,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year alone — that averages around one new case every two minutes. We all have two minutes to spare. Let’s use this time wisely and encourage the men in our lives to proactively talk to their doctors about prostate cancer.

When cancer becomes personal, our priorities change, our perspective shifts and the world around us comes into focus. Things that once seemed important in life suddenly feel trivial and fade away — we find a greater purpose in what matters the most. I became an advocate in the fight against cancer because I understand and relate to the devastation and sense of loss that comes with the disease. I feel for others who wake up to a new day with a challenge that wasn’t there the night before and the emotional and physical pain they must learn to navigate. So, I joined the movement to end cancer once and for all.

Stand Up To Cancer has teamed up with The Safeway Foundation to increase awareness and funds for the fight against prostate cancer by designing a reusable shopping bag, embossed with the words, “It starts with a wish; it can end with a cure.” This bag is available for purchase at all Safeway banner stores and online at www.safewayfoundation.org

Proceeds will support accelerated prostate cancer research.

When I think about how lucky I am that my husband survived, it only reinforces my dedication to taking action against this disease. My wish for every man faced with a cancer diagnosis is to have the same success story.

Source

The PSA is designed to increase awareness for the fight against prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death for men in the United States and currently affects more than two million American men. One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.

Debuting this June, the public service campaign coincides with Safeway’s annual in-store Prostate Cancer Awareness fundraiser, providing customers with multiple opportunities to give at more than 1,400 Safeway stores across the United States. The public service campaign will continue through the month, which includes the national observance of Father’s Day on Sunday, June 16.

At the center of the public service campaign is a limited edition, reusable shopping bag, embossed with the words, “It starts with a wish; it can end with a cure.” The bag will be available for purchase at all Safeway banner stores, including Vons, Pavilions, Tom Thumb, Randalls, Dominick’s, and Carrs stores, as well as online at safewayfoundation.org.

Proceeds will support accelerated prostate cancer research. Additionally, Safeway shoppers will have a chance to make a separate donation at check-out.

Emmy Award and Golden Globe nominee Marcia Cross is best known for her roles on the award-winning series Desperate Housewives and the original Melrose Place.

“I’ve seen too many men in my life affected by cancer,” said Cross. “I am proud to be a part of the effort to support important cancer research that can save lives. My hope is that we can help increase survivorship among men affected by prostate cancer.”

“We are thrilled to collaborate with our friends at Stand Up To Cancer and Marcia Cross to further increase awareness of prostate cancer,” said Larree Renda, Chair of The Safeway Foundation. “Stand Up To Cancer’s scientists are taking cancer research to the next level and we are committed to helping them in their effort to make meaningful advances in patient care.”

The collaborative campaign represents a continued dedication to prostate cancer research and awareness for both The Safeway Foundation and SU2C.

The Safeway Foundation’s donation to SU2C helps fund two Dream Teams focused on prostate cancer. The first team’s project, titled “Precision Therapy for Advanced Prostate Cancer,” is led by Arul M. Chinnaiyan, M.D., Ph.D., S.P. Hicks endowed professor of pathology and professor of urology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and Charles L. Sawyers, M.D., chairman of the Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

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