Father's Day walk raises $75,000
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Updated: June 23, 2009 10:54 AM
There's no day like Father's Day to talk about prostate cancer.
More than 610 people participated in the Victoria Safeway Father's Day walk for prostate cancer, benefitting the Prostate Centre in Victoria.
Leanne Kopp, executive director for the centre, says she's "thrilled" with the $75,000 raised.
She says people are becoming more aware of prostate cancer. "This isn't something that people should be embarrassed to talk about," Kopp says.
She says breast cancer awareness is increasing but prostate cancer is actually more prevalent. One in six Canadian men will be diagnosed with the disease in his lifetime and while one in nine women will be diagnosed with breast cancer.
In the last three years, rates have grown from one in eight men to one in six men diagnosed with the disease.
Kopp says it's hard to say why more men are affected, but detection and diagnostic methods are getting better every year.
She says the best way to prevent the disease is for men over 50 to have annual screenings.
lweighton@vicnews.com
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