Roswell Park Presents the Car Show That Saves Men’s Lives

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, an effort to help encourage men to spend a little time taking care of their health and get tested for prostate cancer.

Forget about the jokes for a moment: prostate cancer is no laughing matter. Did you know one in eight men will develop prostate cancer at some point in their lifetime, but not all cases will require surgery?

To help encourage men to get tested, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center is once again working with MANUP Buffalo, Inc. to host this year’s Cruisin’ for a Cure, a family-friendly car show and day filled with fun and giveaways that also features prostate cancer early detection tests, on Saturday, September 28. 

Some men are at higher risk of prostate cancer, including those who have a family history of prostate cancer, those who are African American, or those who have a known genetic mutation such as BRCA1, BRCA2, ATM, HOXB13, MLH1, MSH2, or MSH6.

We all know that women go through a battery of tests each year to determine their risk for a number of different cancers, including annual screening mammograms to detect breast cancer, PAP tests to look for cervical cancer or precancerous cells, pelvic exams to detect early symptoms of ovarian cancer, and others. Men, on the other hand, tend to get a little squeamish when it comes to prostate cancer exams, a two-step process that involves a blood test to look for a protein that can indicate the presence of cancer and a very brief digital rectal exam in which the prostate is felt for abnormalities.

To make it a little less intimidating, Cruisin’ for a Cure is designed to provide a low-stress event in which families can look at and enjoy a free car show featuring several car clubs from across Western New York as well as individual owners, with food trucks, contests, a live radio broadcast, giveaways, and other activities. And while their family is enjoying a nice afternoon, men can take a few minutes to take care of their health.

Men between the ages of 45 and 69 years of age who register for the screening event will have a one-on-one educational consultation with a Roswell Park urologist in addition to their complete prostate cancer early detection test. Men over the age of 69 will not be screened at this event but are encouraged to talk to their doctor about whether they should be screened.

The car show will take place from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. and is free to attend; men are encouraged to register in advance for the prostate cancer clinic, which will take place from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Anyone who wishes to show a vehicle during the car show can register the morning of the event for a $15 fee.

More information on the event, including registration for the clinic, can be found here.