Prostate Cancer Research Gets Huge Boost From California and New York Taxpayers
The Prostate Cancer Foundation leads successful tax donation campaign, raising nearly $1 million for prostate cancer research

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — December 4, 2006 — For the second consecutive year, residents in California and New York were able to donate directly to prostate cancer research on their 2005 state income tax return forms.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) program, Fund the Research; Find a Cure, is a public education campaign that encourages Californians and New Yorkers to give to prostate cancer research throughout the tax season on their state tax return forms. Through this program, the PCF helped generate $228,000 in California and $237,000 in New York. In New York, the amount raised actually becomes $711,000 since both the State of New York and the PCF will match the dollars, increasing the total 2005 revenue to nearly $1 million.

The PCF paid all administrative costs of the program so that 100% of the money directed by taxpayers will go to prostate cancer research. Funds donated in these states will support leading research institutions in California and New York, respectively, through a competitive grant program and are 100% tax deductible.

One in six men will develop prostate cancer, making it the most common non-skin cancer in the United States. This year, more than 234,000 American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, 27,000 of whom are Californians and 14,000 of whom are New Yorkers.

"Being diagnosed with prostate cancer can be a terrifying, life-altering experience, affecting not only the man diagnosed, but also his spouse, children, other family members and friends," said Leslie D. Michelson, chief executive officer of the PCF. "Donating on tax return forms is an easy and effective medium to generate donations that will help fund research to find better treatments and a cure. The PCF would like to thank all Californians and New Yorkers who donated to prostate cancer research."

The campaign continued beyond the April 17th tax filing deadline, as many Californians and New Yorkers filed time extensions. For more information about each campaign, please visit www.caprostatecancerresearchfund.org and www.nyprostatecancerresearchfund.org.

About the Tax Form Contribution Program
The use of check-off boxes on income tax returns to fund charitable organizations began in 1972, when the federal government allowed taxpayers to designate $1 to a special presidential campaign fund. States soon followed with their own contribution programs, beginning with Colorado in 1977.

Today there are some 220 funds in 41 states. Every state with a broad-based income tax has at least one contribution program. This program does not increase government spending; rather, it provides a convenient and efficient way for people to make charitable contributions.

In 2003, Americans contributed $33 million to a wide array of philanthropies using this mechanism, which was a 20% increase over the prior year.

About the Prostate Cancer Foundation
The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world's largest philanthropic source of support for prostate cancer research. Founded in 1993, the PCF has raised more than $260 million and provided funding for prostate cancer research to more than 1,200 researchers at 100 institutions worldwide. The PCF has a simple, yet urgent goal: to find better treatments and a cure for prostate cancer. For more information, visit www.prostatecancerfoundation.org.

Contacts:

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

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