Voting for Inaugural Golden Glove Awards Begin

List of 30 Nominated for Service to the Prostate Cancer Cause

WASHINGTON, DC Five U.S. Senators, a Four-Star General, a former Playboy pinup model and a cartoon icon are among those nominated in the first-ever Golden Glove Awards for Prostate Cancer.

“We don’t have the history of handing out a golden pot or have a red carpet to roll out but we’ll have some interesting awards to hand out,” National Prostate Cancer Coalition (NPCC) CEO Richard N. Atkins, M.D. said. “It’s no coincidence that some of the people nominated are some of the biggest pains in the butt.”

The Golden Glove Award is named for the physical exam, the part of the screening procedure for prostate cancer when the doctor inserts a gloved finger into the rectum to feel the surface of the prostate.

Voting begins today online at www.fightprostatecancer.org and the top five vote-getters will be inducted into the Prostate Cancer Hall of Fame, receiving the pinnacle honor of the cause a Golden Glove. Voting closes at 12 p.m. EST on Thursday, August 31. Winners will be announced Tuesday, September 12 on NPCC’s homepage, fightprostatecancer.org, or you can request to be notified by email.

“They’ll be no awards show because most of the people on this list have better things to do,” said Atkins. “But this was our chance to give these people the finger, I mean give them the recognition they deserve for helping save countless lives from the second deadliest cancer among American men.”

The Golden Glove Awards for Prostate Cancer is part of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month this September which will also include free screenings around the country onboard the Drive Against Prostate Cancer and awareness wrist bands available online and at all Vitamin World locations.

About the Nominees

Harry Belafonte - One of the most widely known African Americans diagnosed with the disease. For nearly 10 years, Belafonte has been a key advocate in the fight against prostate cancer. Through numerous speaking engagements, he has been able to help break down barriers men have about paying attention to their health.

Dr. Peter Carroll - Chairman of the Department of Urology at the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) and Co-Leader of the Prostate Cancer Program at the UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center, Carroll has made many breakthroughs in showing how diet can play a large factor in prostate cancer incidence and severity.

Dr. William Catalona - The inventor of the prostate specific antigen blood test (PSA) used to diagnose prostate cancer (which has lead to a 25 percent reduction in deaths over the last 12 years). Catalona currently serves as the Director of the Clinical Prostate Cancer Program at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center in Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

U.S. Sen. Michael Crapo - A U.S. Senator of Idaho and prostate cancer survivor is a key supporter of the prostate cancer cause on Capitol Hill. He has been a co-signer on countless bills supporting prostate cancer research funding, early detection and awareness.

Dr. Anthony D’Amico - Internationally known for advancing research in detection, staging, and treatment of prostate cancer, D’Amico has more than 150 peer-reviewed publications about the disease and has co-edited four textbooks in Urologic Oncology. Currently, he is a professor of Radiation Oncology at Harvard Medical School and Chief of Radiation Oncology at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

U.S. Sen. Bob Dole - An outspoken advocate for the prostate cancer cause, Dole has been very public about his diagnosis which started to make men feel more comfortable in talking about their health.

Carmen Electra - Gracious enough to be a dream date auction for the cause, Carmen raised prostate cancer awareness on leading TV shows including Late Night with Conan O’Brien and the Best Damn Sports Show. Electra’s then-Husband Dave Navarro won the bidding, donating $20,000.

Minister Louis Farrakhan - Prostate cancer knows no color lines or ideology. Farrakhan, a prostate cancer survivor, has committed himself to speaking about prostate cancer awareness not only to black men but men in general. Recently, he opened the Louis Farrakhan Prostate Cancer Foundation, a medical center for prostate cancer to help men in Chicago and the surrounding area.

Will Ferrell - Emerging as Hollywood’s most popular comedic actor, Will Ferrell (while in character as Ricky Bobby from Talladega Nights) drew a standing ovation from ESPN’s ESPY Awards this year with a PSA about prostate cancer screening.

Dennis Franz - Bringing the disease to television for the first time, Franz’s character on NYPD Blue, Andy Sipowicz, was diagnosed with prostate cancer during the height of the show’s popularity.

Mayor Rudy Giuliani - The former New York City Mayor credits his battle with prostate cancer with preparing him to lead during the aftermath of 9-11. Giuliani, honorary chairman of the National Prostate Cancer Coalition board, is committed to spreading prostate cancer awareness through public appearances.

Andy Grove - Former chairman of the board at Intel and Time Magazine’s Man of the Year in 1997, Grove is one of the largest financial contributors to the prostate cancer cause. One of his greatest achievements for the cause is helping create the University of California San Francisco Prostate Cancer Center.

Miss America Heather French Henry - After learning that her husband, former Kentucky Lieutenant Governor Steve Henry was diagnosed with prostate cancer, Heather (then pregnant) started to think she’d raise their child as a widow. After standing by her husband’s side through recovery, she has become a very vocal advocate for the prostate cancer cause including testifying before Congress several times asking for increases in prostate cancer research funding from the federal government.

Jon Huntsman - A 15-year prostate cancer survivor and son of a prostate cancer victim, Jon Huntsman one of the founders of the National Prostate Cancer Coalition created the Huntsman Cancer Center in the 1990s and donated $100,000 million towards a cure for cancer.

Michael Milken - The world’s biggest prostate cancer philanthropist pouring tens of millions of dollars into the search for a cure and spreading awareness about early detection. Milken is the chairman of the Prostate Cancer Foundation and former chairman of the National Prostate Cancer Coalition.

Dr. William G. Nelson IV - Dr. Nelson has identified the best known gene alteration in prostate cancer cells and works to discover specific, targeted therapies to impact the problem. He is also a committed advocate, testifying for more federal research funds before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.

Dr. Dean Ornish - Founder and president of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in California and Professor of Medicine at the University of California at San Francisco, Ornish has directed clinical research demonstrating, for the first time in a randomized controlled trial, that comprehensive lifestyle changes may affect the progression of prostate cancer.

Arnold Palmer - Four time Master’s Champion and prostate cancer survivor, Arnold Palmer has served as spokesperson and fundraiser (through Arnie’s Army) for the cause including service as the national honorary chairman of the March of Dimes.

Optimus Prime - The biggest news in the field of prostate cancer came when Comedy Central announced Optimus Prime had died of prostate cancer. Before passing away to the used-car dealership in the sky, the Transformer icon did a PSA for prostate cancer awareness.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer - An annual lead sponsor in the U.S. Senate on letters supporting increases in prostate cancer research, Schumer is a leading advocate on Capitol Hill and in recent years has been essential in helping maintain prostate cancer research funding from the federal government during a state of war.

General Norman Schwarzkopf - “In order to win the fight against prostate cancer, we have to get this disease out of the closet,” Schwarzkopf told the media after being diagnosed. The retired four-star general has served on boards of several cancer organizations and is a staunch advocate for risk awareness and research to beat the disease.

Sean William Scott - The funniest prostate exam caught on film. Although he’s better known as Stifler on American Pie, Scott stole the spotlight in the movie “Road Trip” when a prostate exam caused him to have an orgasm.

U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby - Sen. Shelby of Alabama is a staunch advocate for prostate cancer awareness and research funding. By working side-by-side with the National Prostate Cancer Coalition, he has introduced many pieces of legislation including the Prostate Cancer Awareness Month Proclamation and research appropriation amendments. Recently, he has made it part of his platform to turn Alabama from one of the worst states when it comes to prostate cancer to one of the best.

Dr. Jonathan Simons - Currently the Director of the Winship Cancer Center in Atlanta, Jonathan once said, “A career in prostate cancer research is professional suicide.” His staunch support of advocacy initiatives has helped make it a different story today.

Ozzie Smith - Hall of Fame Shortstop for the St. Louis Cardinals Ozzie Smith has been an essential part of all prostate cancer programs involving Major League Baseball. Smith, a man at increased risk, has done countless interviews aimed at raising awareness about the disease.

U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens - A prostate cancer survivor, Stevens helped create the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program for Prostate Cancer at the Department of Defense. To date, the program has infused nearly $750 million for research over the past nine years.

Jerry Stiller - “My prostate’s flaring up like a Frikin’ Tiki Torch.” The dad on King of Queens and star on Zoolander, Stiller has spread awareness by telling more prostate jokes than all other Hollywood actors combined.

Wade Thompson - CEO of Thor Industries, Thompson has made a dramatic impact in early detection for prostate cancer by setting up the Drive Against Prostate Cancer, building and donating two mobile screening centers. Thompson has also given more than $1 million to prostate cancer research.

Joe Torre - One of Major League Baseball’s most successful managers, Joe Torre’s diagnosis was made around the same time as Rudy Giuliani’s and propelled awareness about prostate cancer risk and the importance for annual detection to new levels. Torre continues to be an outspoken advocate for awareness.

Dr. Andrew C. Von Eschenbach - Currently the Acting Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and formerly Director of the National Cancer Institute, Andy (a prostate cancer survivor), sponsored a conference that helped to identify the cost of the nation’s appropriate investment in prostate cancer research, which helped to launch the DOD prostate cancer research program.

About the National Prostate Cancer Coalition
Celebrating 10 years of saving lives, the National Prostate Cancer Coalition sets the standard in rapidly reducing the burden of prostate cancer on men and their families through awareness, outreach and advocacy.