MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL AND PROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION PARTNER ON 27TH ANNUAL HOME RUN CHALLENGE AND TOUR

Tour hits baseball parks across the U.S. through Father’s Day to raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer research

LOS ANGELES, May 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) and Major League Baseball (MLB) are teaming up for the 27^th Annual Home Run Challenge and Tour now through Father’s Day, June 18, to raise funds and awareness in the fight against prostate cancer through America’s National Pastime.

The Home Run Challenge invites baseball fans to “Keep Dad in the Game” and support cancer research by pledging a donation for every home run hit through Father’s Day at www.pcf.org/homerunchallenge/. Fans may also make a one-time donation. Every dollar raised through the Home Run Challenge will be granted to PCF to fund critical research to accelerate prostate cancer treatments and improve early detection methods. Thanks to the ongoing commitment of MLB, the Home Run Challenge has raised more than $70 million for prostate cancer research and has highlighted the benefits of early detection of the disease.

By funding leading-edge research with innovative treatments now reaching patients, PCF has helped reduce the burden of prostate cancer throughout the world. While prostate cancer at all stages is treatable, early detection is the key to the best outcomes for patients while preserving the highest quality of life. 99% of patients with early-stage prostate cancer live five years or longer after diagnosis. Many treatments available for prostate cancer today can be traced to early PCF funding. Because of the shared biology of many cancers, treatments for prostate cancer may also be effective against other cancer types, extending PCF’s impact across many other cancers.

“We are incredibly grateful to Major League Baseball for being our long-standing partner in raising awareness and support for much needed prostate cancer research,” said PCF CEO Charles J. Ryan, MD. “Significant advances have been made against prostate cancer, and patients around the world are living longer and enjoying better quality of life. But there is still much work to be done. The Home Run Challenge is critical in increasing visibility and helping PCF continue to fund the groundbreaking research that is ending suffering and saving men’s lives.

PCF and MLB hold Home Run Challenge Tour Stops and Awareness Days in stadiums across the nation. An average of 40,000 fans per day in each MLB stadium allows PCF to reach well over half a million fans in person with crucial messages about the need for prostate cancer research funding and the importance of screening and prevention. MLB television and radio broadcasts extend that reach to hundreds of thousands of additional fans through in-game media and digital platforms.

Light blue is the official color for prostate cancer awareness. On Father’s Day, MLB players, managers, coaches and on-field personnel will show their support by wearing New Era specially designed, limited-edition caps featuring blue Club logos. A matching pair of Stance socks is available for every player. Additionally, on-field personnel may don blue wristbands and blue decals on Nike jerseys in support.   Major League Baseball directs 100% of its royalties from on field Father’s Day socks and caps to MLB Charities, a 501(c)(3) non-profit. MLB Charities will then donate those funds to the Prostate Cancer Foundation to support the organization’s mission in the fight against prostate cancer.

Major League Baseball has been a supporter of PCF for more than two decades and continue to partner with the organization in pursuit of funding research toward a cure through its MLB Together platform. Please visit MLBTogether.com for more information.

For more information about the Home Run Challenge, visit www.pcf.org/homerunchallenge/.

QUICK FACTS

• One in eight U.S. men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year. That’s at least one player on the baseball field during a game.
• One man dies from prostate cancer every 15 minutes. That’s one per inning.
• By the end of each average MLB game, 58 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. In that time, 10 will have died from the disease.
• Early detection through screening is key.
• Men diagnosed with prostate cancer today have many more options since PCF’s inception 30 years ago. There are 25 FDA-approved medications today, including five recently approved medications that were based upon PCF-funded research.
• More than three million U.S. men living with prostate cancer can enjoy healthier lives and celebrate Father’s Day with their families.

About the Prostate Cancer Foundation
The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world’s leading philanthropic organization dedicated to funding life-saving prostate cancer research. Founded in 1993 by Mike Milken, PCF has been responsible for raising more than $1 billion in support of cutting-edge research by more than 2,200 research projects at 245 leading cancer centers in 28 countries around the world. Since PCF’s inception, and through its efforts, patients around the world are living longer, suffering fewer complications, and enjoying better quality of life. PCF is committed to creating a global public square for prostate cancer, in service to our mission of ending death and suffering from the disease. Learn more at pcf.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Staci L. Vernick
Prostate Cancer Foundation
[email protected]
[email protected]
610-812-6092

SOURCE Prostate Cancer Foundation