Dance for the Cure of Prostate Cancer

The chances are that you know someone whose life has been affected by prostate cancer epidemic, striking as many as 1 in 6 men. While this disease is even more common than breast cancer, which affects 1 in 8 women, men do not have accurate diagnostic tools similar to life-saving mammograms. Prostate cancer has become the most common and the second most deadly cancer in men. And yet, government funding for prostate cancer research is low compared to that for breast cancer, and had been falling over the last six years.

In order to change that, nonprofit AdMeTech Foundation has established Dance for the Cure of Prostate Cancer modeled after Race for the Cure of Breast Cancer, a successful and effective public awareness and fundraising campaign. AdMeTech provides international leadership for creating ManogramR: life-saving imaging for men.  Dance for the Cure is produced by Chris Johnston, founder of SuperShag Dance Studios and co-organizer of the San Diego Dancesport competition. Billy Morganti, co-organizer of the Eastern United States Dance Championships, provides coordination and liaison with dance studios located across the country. Together, they hope that the Dance for the Cure will result in public education and demand to advance diagnostic tools for improved early detection and treatment of prostate cancer.

According to Dr. Faina Shtern, President of AdMeTech, “Accurate imaging tools will eliminate prostate cancer as a patient care crisis and a socio-economic problem, which compromises the quality of life and survival in millions of American men and adds billions of dollars to our nation’s health care costs.” Dr. Shtern is a former chief of diagnostic imaging at the National Cancer Institute where she had led development of the recently accepted digital and MRI mammograms, which not only save lives, but also replaced radical surgeries with image-guided, minimally-invasive treatment.

Dance for the Cure of Prostate Cancer highlights the emerging power of the ballroom dancing community. The Dance for the Cure event on September 28, 2008 in Boston, MA was covered by Reuters and Dancebeat, and resulted in the letters from several key members of the U.S. Senate urging increased government investment in prostate cancer imaging. The follow up Dance for the Cure on December 7, 2008 was followed by coverage of “The Manogram Project” by Reuters, more than 90 other media organizations across the nation, Fox Business TV, and NBC. In response, Elijah Cummings (R-MD), Henry Waxman (R-CA), and ten other members of US House of Representatives urged increased government investment in prostate cancer imagining and related research.

The momentum was further expanded at the recent Dance for the Cure event on April 4th. Bill Morganti commented: “It is exciting to see so many professional and amateur dancers from New York, Washington D.C. and New England, including but not limited to MASSABDA, Arthur Murray, Balera, Burlington Ballroom, Studio 665, SuperShag and other studios coming together to assure success of the Dance for the Cure”.  The Guest of Honors included Michael Ross, President of the Boston City Council; Dr. Clare Tempany, Professor and Chair of Radiology Research at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School; and Tom Hall and Paul Cantor, prostate cancer survivors who directly benefited from prostate cancer imaging; they all expressed their excitement and support. This event was followed by the extensive, ground-breaking coverage of the importance of prostate imaging for diagnosis and minimally-invasive treatment of prostate cancer in the Wall Street Journal, which featured the work of AdMeTech and its partners, and Mr. Tom Hall’s story. In close proximity to this coverage, US Senator Barbara Boxer introduced the PRIME Act (Prostate Research Imaging and Mens Education), which calls for government funding of $650 million over five years. She commented in the US Congressional Record that this bill is “…of vital importance to thousands of men and women across our great Nation, and the families and friends who are concerned for their continued health.”

The next Dance for the Cure event will take place on Saturday, June 13, at the San Diego Dancesport competition. This black-tie event will bring together leaders of medicine, dancing community, and Hollywood celebrities.  Dancing with the Stars will be represented by Nick Kosowich and other professionals; and Hollywood will be represented by actor University of California in San Diego and one of the key leaders of the American Academy of Radiology Research; and Dr. Richard Butcher, former President of the National Medical Association. The Dance will include VIP Dinner, top professional and amateurs performances, and a private reception.

On behalf of the Dance for the Cure and the San Diego competition, Chris Johnston invites everyone to join celebrities from Hollywood, Dancing with the Stars and medicine on June 13: “Participate in this event - and contribute to the national movement of the dancing community, which is making a historic impact and offering hope for every man: every father, every brother, every son - and every woman who loves him.”

AcknowLedgments:  Generous donation to the Dance for the Cure were provided by many vendors, including Dore, Designs to Shine, Escada, Exhale Spa, Follow the Lead, Julio Julio, LaPerla, Mark Harris Hair Salon, Neiman Marcus/Chanel, Patterson’s Dance Wear, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel (Boston Common), Sports Club LA, Teddy’s Shoes, Bina Osteria.