Press Release

Fund the Research; Find a Cure — on Your Tax Form
For First Time, California Taxpayers Can Donate to Prostate Cancer Research on Their State Tax Returns   

Los Angeles, Calif. - March 9, 2005 - For the first time, Californians will be able to donate directly to prostate cancer research on Line 64 on their state income tax returns. Funds donated by Californian taxpayers will support leading research institutions in California state through a competitive grant program and are 100% tax deductible.

One in six men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime – making it the most commonly diagnosed non-skin cancer in the United States. A new case occurs every two and a half minutes and a man dies from prostate cancer every 17 minutes.

“This year, more than 25,000 Californians will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. That’s enough to fill the Kodak Theater seven times over,” said Leslie D. Michelson, vice chairman and chief executive officer of the Prostate Cancer Foundation. “It’s a little known fact that a man is one third more likely to get prostate cancer than woman is to get breast cancer. Donating on Line 64 on your tax forms is an easy and effective way to help find a cure for this increasingly deadly disease.”

This month the Prostate Cancer Foundation is kicking off Fund the Research; Find a Cure, a statewide public education campaign to encourage Californians to give to prostate cancer research this tax season.

“In the next ten years, the Baby Boom generation will be hitting their 50s, when men are most at risk for prostate cancer. That translates to 300,000 new cases a year,” said former five-time World Champion, Los Angeles Ram and New York Giant Roosevelt (Rosey) Grier.

“Alarmingly, African-American men are 65% more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and two and half times more likely to die. We’re literally racing against the clock,” he added.

The campaign will continue through the April 15th tax filing deadline, as many Californians will file time extensions this year. For interviews or more information about the campaign, please visit Prostate Cancer Foundation.

The campaign will continue through the April 15th tax filing deadline, as many Californians will file time extensions this year. For interviews or more information about the campaign, please visit Prostate Cancer Foundation.

About the Prostate Cancer Foundation

The Prostate Cancer Foundation is the world's largest philanthropic source of support for prostate cancer research. Founded in 1993, the PCF has raised more than $230 million and provided funding for prostate cancer research to more than 1,200 researchers at 100 institutions worldwide. PCF has a simple, yet urgent goal: to find better treatments and a cure for recurrent prostate cancer. For more information, please visit Prostate Cancer Foundation.

Sarah Evans
(310) 570-4705
sevans@prostatecancerfoundation.org

Katie Lambe
(310) 570-4713
klambe@prostatecancerfoundation.org