The NBA has partnered with the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) on a new fundraising initiative to benefit prostate cancer research. Through this initiative, NBA Cares is expanding its partnership with PCF to support its mission to fund high-impact research to find better treatments and a cure for prostate cancer, which affects one in six American men, making it the most common non-skin cancer in the country.
In conjunction with the PCF, personal wristbands featuring 18 NBA stars and Legends will feature a player’s name, signature, uniform number and team colors, along with the team logo.
“This is an important campaign that brings together some of our games’ greatest players,” said Kathy Behrens, SVP NBA Community and Player Programs. “We, and they, hope we can reach men of all ages to bring to light the impact of this disease and assist in raising funds to find a cure.”
Current and former NBA Players participating in the program include two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash (Phoenix Suns) LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers); Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets); Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton (Detroit Pistons); Jermaine O'Neal (Indiana Pacers); Jerry West and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Los Angeles Lakers); Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat); Vince Carter and Jason Kidd (New Jersey Nets) and Allen Iverson (Philadelphia 76ers).
The individual wristbands will sell for $3 each at participating arenas, the NBA Store on Fifth Avenue and on-line at NBAStore.com and www.prostatecancerfoundation.org. Oscar Robertson (Cincinnati Royals), Walt Frazier (New York Knicks), and George Gervin, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker (San Antonio Spurs) wristbands will be sold exclusively at the NBA Store on Fifth Avenue and on-line at NBAStore.com and www.prostatecancerfoundation.org.
“We are excited to be partnering with NBA Cares to provide these unique wristbands to fans, supporters and the general public,” said Leslie D. Michelson, chief executive officer of the Prostate Cancer Foundation. “This new initiative creates a significant platform from which to raise not only awareness of prostate cancer, but also critical research dollars.”
Prostate cancer is an urgent men’s health issue, with more than 234,000 men diagnosed in the U.S. this year alone. When caught and treated early, prostate cancer has a cure rate of over 90-percent. African American men are 60-percent more likely to get prostate cancer than Caucasian men, and twice as likely to die from the disease than any other race. The disease killed more than 27,000 men in the U.S. just in 2006.
NBA Cares is the league's social responsibility initiative that builds on the NBA's long tradition of addressing important social issues in the United States and around the world. During the first year of NBA Cares, teams, current and former players, and the league office contributed 205,000 hours of hands-on volunteer service, raised more than $32 million for charity, and created 109 places where kids and families can live, learn or play. NBA Cares works with internationally-recognized youth-serving programs that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes, including: UNICEF; Reading Is Fundamental; Habitat for Humanity; Boys & Girls Clubs of America; Feed the Children, Special Olympics, KaBOOM!, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and many others.
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 recurrent prostate cancer. For more information, visit www.prostatecancerfoundation.org.
Contacts: Chris Wallace, NBA Communications at 212-407-8615 or cwallace@nba.com
Katie Lambe, Prostate Cancer Foundation at 310-570-4713 klambe@prostatecancerfoundation.org