Together, we are building a ZERO Prostate Cancer Future. Review the 2021 Annual Report for the remarkable impact the prostate cancer community is making across the country. Every page is filled with hope that comes from you and others standing side by side with us to make sure no one fights alone. You are the heroes in a patient’s journey.
Building a ZERO Prostate Cancer Future
2021 ANNUAL REPORT
Dear ZERO Friends, Despite the second year of the devastating pandemic and many other challenges for us all, you continued to lean in to build a future with the aim of ZEROing out prostate cancer. Without hesitation, you helped us leap forward to meet the most urgent needs of patients and families. A major milestone was the completion of the merger with support group organization, Us TOO. This historic union brought a combined 55 years of experience serving the prostate cancer community into one patient-centric powerhouse at a time it was needed most. You helped make significant progress in declaring prostate cancer a national priority. With more ZERO Chapters, Us TOO Support Groups, and community events available nationwide than ever before, options to connect and access resources are much more plentiful for those in need. These milestones have only been made possible because of you and your generous support. You are an inspiration to me and a beacon of hope for everyone impacted by this disease. Last year, more than 800,000 patients and caregivers received assistance across all of ZERO’s support programs and platforms. With COVID-19 ongoing, financial barriers remained the most frequent cause of patients not receiving or delaying the care needed in the crisis of their lives. Because of your support, ZERO360, our personalized case management service, surpassed $5.7 million in life-changing debt relief and has served more than 3,600 patients and family members since the program’s inception. Over the past year, lifesaving advancements have been made at the state level because of actions from committed supporters like you. The calls, emails, letters, and meetings you had with state representatives helped advance bills in two new states, Rhode Island and Illinois, to remove co-pays and other cost-sharing fees for prostate cancer screening. This is a big step forward in making prostate cancer testing more accessible. Early detection is the best preventative measure against the disease. All because of you, thousands of lives will be saved.
Yet, there is still much to be done. Serving Black and Brown communities that are hit the hardest by and are at the highest risk of prostate cancer is imperative. We can’t end prostate cancer without eliminating the racial and ethnic disparities in prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship-related health outcomes. And we increased our attention to this pressing problem and kicked off the Black Men’s Prostate Cancer Initiative to provide innovative and customized prostate cancer education forums and resources, as well as support groups specific to meeting the needs of Black men. This initiative is only the beginning of a multi-pronged strategy to address access to care, racial biases, and distrust in the medical system that contribute to these inequities. Each and every one of us impacted by prostate cancer deserve better. We won’t stop until we have put an end to prostate cancer once and for all. It has never been more clear that the status quo is no longer acceptable.
The time is now for big ideas and bold objectives. As you review this report, the ZERO team is about to embark on a new five-year strategic plan (2023-2027) that will propel us closer to ZERO prostate cancer. I can’t wait to share it with you. In the meantime, enjoy seeing the remarkable impact you are making across the country. Every page is filled with hope that comes from you and others standing side by side with us to make sure no one fights alone. You are the heroes in a patient’s journey. With deep gratitude,
Jamie Bearse President and CEO @jamiebearse
A Look Back at 2021 Because of you, we are a step closer to building a ZERO prostate cancer future. Your support has made it possible to: • Provide more than 800,000 patients and caregivers with assistance across all of ZERO’s support programs and platforms, surpassing $5.7 million in life-changing debt relief through ZERO360, our personalized case management service. • Expand critically important emotional support resources, including one-on-one mentorship and a nationwide network of support groups, now in 39 states. • Establish the Black Men’s Prostate Cancer Initiative to reach at-risk and historically marginalized communities with education and support and create health equity solutions.
Spreading Awareness on the National Stage
Earlier this year, ZERO partnered with the Sixth Annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show in New York City. The Blue Jacket Fashion Show unites the worlds of fashion, entertainment, sports, healthcare, and media to encourage prostate cancer awareness, with an emphasis on racial disparities and underserved communities. This year’s event, supported by Janssen Oncology, was more important than ever as the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a decrease in routine health care screenings, in addition to a decline in prostate cancer screenings. This event helped bring awareness around the importance of early detection, especially for Black men who are at a higher risk for the disease. The star-studded event, created by fashion designer Frederick Anderson and marketer Laura Miller, ended the New York Fashion Week on a high note. Men, including Al Roker, Mario Cantone, Don Lemon, Wilson Cruz, Dale Moss, Amir Arison, Mickey Boardman, Dante Bowe, Frank DiLella, David East, Jay Jay French, Dominic Fumusa, and ZERO’s very own Dr. Reggie Tucker-Seeley , sported blue jackets and strutted the runway during the livestreamed event raising critical awareness of prostate cancer for Black men and reminding men to get screened and understand their risk factors
• Advocate for federal research funding growth over the past decade, successfully helping to maintain the $110 million budget for the Department of Defense’s Prostate Cancer Research Project, which has resulted in seven new treatments and one new diagnostic test. • Host a combined 43 virtual and in-person Run/Walks , and a variety of other community events, connecting patients, survivors, caregivers, families, and friends nationwide to raise awareness, provide support, and raise millions of dollars for patients in need. • Support the passing of bills that eliminate cost-sharing for prostate cancer screenings, with Rhode Island and Illinois joining New York and Maryland as states that support full insurance coverage of the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test.
In 2021, ZERO partnered with Bayer Pharmaceuticals to launch the We’re Not Gonna Take It prostate cancer education campaign to raise awareness about the importance of screening and early detection with Jay Jay French: founding member of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister and prostate cancer survivor.
As a part of the campaign, ZERO hosted the “Prostate Cancer Uncensored” podcast series with Jay Jay French, attracting thousands of listeners to learn more about the disease, launched the “Truth or Twisted” quiz to help separate fact from fiction when it comes to prostate cancer, and featured Jay Jay on a nationwide satellite media tour during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, attracting an audience of more than twelve million listeners. Special thanks to Bayer for their partnership and generous support.
Supporting Patients When They Need It Most
Emotional support is critical to recovery, and we are eager to welcome all patients
The needs of prostate cancer patients and their families have become more urgent because of pandemic-related hurdles. The COVID-19 pandemic caused delayed treatments, rescheduled medical appointments, and interruptions to the critical care needed by prostate cancer patients. These disruptions, paired with record-setting inflation and nationwide discord, have left more patients than ever asking, what now? This past year, the ZERO community provided vital support to patients, their loved ones, and all those impacted by the disease. At no cost to participants, ZERO’s programs can help with treatment education, emotional support, financial assistance, disease management, and mental health, just to name a few. • Our prostate cancer community gained access to a powerhouse of a support group network through the ZERO and Us TOO merger. ZERO’s Us TOO support groups provide patients and caregivers opportunities to engage and learn from others with shared experiences. “ JUST 20 YEARS AGO, bringing prostate cancer patients together to share and support each other was nearly nonexistent. But once our small-but-mighty support group began, we became each other’s sounding board, support system, and newfound friends in the fight against prostate cancer. The camaraderie built through our support group has made a world of difference in the fight against this disease. We’re family. “ Ken Willmarth ZERO Us TOO Support Group Leader
• ZERO360’s free patient support services have provided many patients and families with lifesaving debt relief during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. ZERO360 case managers provide personalized assistance to help patients secure financial and emotional support, resolve insurance appeals, and cross-check insurance benefits. More than 3,600 patients have been supported since the program’s inception, with $5.7+ million in debt relief obtained. • Transportation remains one of prostate cancer patients’ most significant barriers to care. Through the support of caring individuals like you, more than 660 patients have been able to access care since the implementation of ZERO Drive. In 2021, this program provided transportation-related assistance to patients in Florida, Iowa, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
• ZERO Connect, our private Facebook group, has remained crucial to community building and camaraderie in our increasingly digital world. This caring community has grown to more than 3,000 members and is a supportive place to ask questions, share stories, and uplift one another. • An informed patient is an empowered patient. Providing updated educational materials, webinars, Facebook Live events, fact sheets, and toolkits is critical to arming our community with the resources and education necessary to fight this disease. In 2021, more than 1,400 individuals registered to attend our educational webinars, with 2022’s webinar attendee registration number quickly surpassing last year.
into this safe space. For specialized support, we are proud to offer groups specifically welcoming the LGBTQIA+ community,
Black men, deaf men, Spanish-speaking men, caregivers, and more. Now serving more than 5,000 members, groups are available in-person and virtually, in 39 states, with additional groups to come. • The world pivoted to virtual connection during the pandemic, and ZERO’s MENtor program adapted too, providing both virtual and in-person support options. The ZERO MENtor program matches prostate cancer patients with caring and knowledgeable MENtors who provide support, friendship, and advice during their prostate cancer journeys. More than 250 matches have been made since the program’s inception. • ZERO’s Caregiver Connector program matches prostate cancer caregivers with the ongoing one-on-one support of a Caregiver Mentor. Caregiver Mentors share insights and experiences to help caregivers care for themselves and their loved ones. More than 65 matches have been made since the program’s launch in 2020.
ZERO360 BY THE NUMBERS $5.7+ million in debt relief
“ H aving a loved one face prostate cancer is very scary. We worry about his health, how he will respond to treatments and how we will pay the bills. ZERO360 gave me a place where we could ask questions and talk through medical bill solutions. For that, we will always be grateful. ” Jane Prostate Cancer Caregiver
obtained for patients 3,600+ patients and caregivers served 64,000+ support touchpoints on behalf of patients
US TOO PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT GROUPS
CONNECTOR
The Frontlines of the Fight
ZERO’s state-by-state strategy includes New Jersey, Virginia, Georgia, California, and Texas as we work toward our goal of expanding prostate cancer screening mandates to half the United States by 2030. Our recent wins prove that advocates like you are the changemakers that will make our vision of a prostate cancer-free future a reality.
In a victory for prostate cancer patients, families, and advocates, Congress maintained federal research funding for the Department of Defense’s Prostate Cancer Research Program (PCRP) for 2021 of $100 million, despite many other demands on the funding budget. This year, we are pushing for $120 million in funding to ensure progress is made for patients as the PCRP is the most successful prostate cancer research program in the nation. In partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heroes like you advocated for $14.2 million in funding for the CDC’s Comprehensive Cancer Control Program. CDC funding will be used to sustain vital outreach to Black men and men with a family history of prostate cancer to spread awareness and education about their increased risk for the disease, ensuring at-risk men in rural and
Because of the tireless efforts of you and other committed cause heroes around the country, we’ve had many recent advocacy wins at both the national and state levels for prostate cancer patients and their families. From eliminating state-level cost-sharing for prostate cancer screenings to increased communication with lawmakers across the country, together, we are engaging thousands of advocates, Champions, and friends nationwide to help put building a ZERO prostate cancer future at the forefront of the national priority list. With your help, ZERO advanced bills to eliminate cost-sharing for prostate cancer MD
difficult-to-reach areas understand the importance of early detection. Advocates’ efforts at the 2022 Summit led to the introduction of H.R. 7750 , the Prostate Cancer Community Education, Research, and Education Act, a bill that would create a federal coordinating committee for prostate cancer research, ensuring that the end of prostate cancer comes as quickly and efficiently as possible. This year, more ZERO advocates connected with their elected officials at the state and local levels than ever before. We saw new advocates use their voices at our first ever Veterans Prostate Cancer Advocacy Day, the kickoff to an ongoing series of small-scale Advocacy Days that keep the momentum from the ZERO Prostate Cancer Summit going all year long. As our community of ZERO advocates gets larger and louder, we look forward to seeing the larger and louder impact on federal and state policy to improve the lives of those affected by prostate cancer.
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screenings, with Rhode Island and Illinois joining New York and Maryland as states that require full insurance coverage of the PSA blood test. In our most recent win, ZERO and advocates in Illinois helped
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker (R) signed House Bill 5318 in June of 2022 at the University of Illinois Cancer Center in Chicago, Illinois. This bill, sponsored by Illinois House of Representatives member and prostate cancer survivor, La Shawn K. Ford (L), requires insurers to provide prostate cancer screenings without cost-sharing requirements. “ I KNOW THE PERSONAL COST of waiting too long to be diagnosed with prostate cancer – including more aggressive treatment, more side effects, and more anguish for a man and his loved ones. Early prostate cancer screening and diagnosis can be the difference between successful treatment and a life that ends too soon. “ La Shawn K. Ford Illinois State Representative
IL
RI
pass a lifesaving legislative effort in the state that will increase access to prostate cancer screening by ensuring that coverage is guaranteed for an annual prostate cancer screening and follow-up diagnostic testing without imposing a deductible, coinsurance, copayment, or any other cost-sharing requirement. This newly passed bill has the power to support early detection efforts and will save lives, improve health care access, and help increase equity in prostate cancer outcomes.
GIVING OPPORTUNITIES
Taking Action to Create Health Equity
When everyone in the ZERO prostate cancer community comes together, we are a force to be reckoned with. You are the changemakers, the voices for all affected with this disease, and the community that families can lean on when they need it most. It will take each and every one of us to end prostate cancer. When you invest in ZERO, you are building a ZERO prostate cancer future and ensuring funds are available for: 1. Financial Support: Your support connects patients in need with personalized solutions to alleviate the many financial stressors of their diagnosis, including treatment costs, transportation, insurance navigation, and more. 2. Research: Your gift advances prostate cancer research to discover new treatments and diagnostics. 3. Awareness: Knowing risk factors and the importance of early detection saves lives, and your gift helps education and awareness efforts nationwide. 4. Emotional Support: Your gift ensures patients and caregivers have support through in-person and virtual support groups and mentors across the country. 5. Health Equity: Your gift helps remove barriers and provides critical support for those at the highest risk for the disease who have suffered inequities for far too long. Building a ZERO Prostate Cancer Future Only Happens with You
new ways to address these issues. ZERO’s Health Equity Task Force includes prostate cancer patients, survivors, physicians, volunteers, and advocates – all with different perspectives and experiences to provide valuable insight and expertise as we take deliberate steps to eliminate racial disparities in prostate cancer and achieve health equity. To further our resolve to achieve health equity, ZERO and the Prostate Cancer Foundation recently joined forces to present the ZERO/PCF Young Investigator Award to Eliminate Health Disparities. Both organizations are contributing $150,000 for a combined $300,000 grant over three years toward career and project support for a young, proven investigator with interest in prostate cancer research and a strong focus on eliminating health disparities. This award will target health disparities in prostate cancer to help eliminate the differences across the prostate cancer continuum, including detection, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, and end-of-life care. This grant aims to empower young researchers to combat these differences in prostate cancer outcomes.
Black men are 1.7 times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 2.1 times more likely to die from the disease compared to White men. These disparities are unacceptable. Last year, ZERO deepened our commitment to eliminating these inequities in prostate cancer for Black men by making health equity a cornerstone of our work. This past year, ZERO launched the Black Men’s Prostate Cancer Initiative to address the disparities in prostate cancer experienced by Black men. The initiative includes support groups, education, and awareness activities to help Black men as they manage prostate cancer and navigate the cancer care delivery system. Programs such as these are vital to helping Black men navigate their individual diagnoses and treatments and create a future where health equity is achieved, and all men have the opportunity to prevent, find, treat, and survive prostate cancer. Making strides to close the equity gap in healthcare is a community effort. The Health Equity Task Force was formed to develop new partnerships to bring prostate cancer awareness to high-risk men, strengthen existing early detection and education initiatives, and identify
LEAVE YOUR LEGACY WITH ZERO: You can make a lasting impact at ZERO for the prostate cancer community. Leave your legacy with ZERO by including us in your will or trust. For more information, contact James Hutson at hutson@zerocancer.org. JOIN THE BLUE RIBBON CIRCLE: When you make a monthly gift, you become a member of ZERO’s Blue Ribbon Circle, a powerful collective of passionate donors building a steady stream of support that the prostate cancer community can count on. WORKPLACE GIVING: Get your colleagues involved in the mission to end prostate cancer. OTHER WAYS TO GIVE: We accept gifts of stock, donor-advised funds, and cryptocurrency. Visit zerocancer.org/give to give a gift today. For more information regarding giving opportunities, contact Shawn K. Supers at shawn@zerocancer.org.
Scan this QR code or visit zerocancer.org/give to donate online today.
“ FOR MEN LIKE ME, support from ZERO can be the first step in helping to eradicate racial disparities in prostate cancer, by helping Black men receive the best
“ MY PROSTATE CANCER DIAGNOSIS turned my world upside-down, and I felt so alone. Then with just one phone call, my life changed. The support I received from ZERO was amazing and connected me with resources I didn’t even know existed. Because of generous donors like you, I can focus on what is most important: my health. “ Ted Healy Prostate Cancer Patient ZERO Champion
care possible. “ Rallie Settles, Jr. Prostate Cancer Patient ZERO Champion
Impact at the 2022 ZERO Summit
Celebrating the 2022 Bold For Blue Award Winners
inform elected officials on the urgent need to support legislation and research funding and to make prostate cancer a priority on Capitol Hill. A record-breaking attendance of more than 1,700 Summit registrants participated
Once again, the annual ZERO Summit made transformative progress as the largest gathering of its kind for the prostate cancer community. The pandemic may have kept us from convening in person, yet still,
HOPE AWARD WINNERS SPOTLIGHT “We appreciate that this Hope Award calls attention to the importance of creating a safe space for men and their care partners to share their needs, feelings, and questions. That we can give our time and presence is a gift enough. The opportunity to walk with the courageous, sensitive, and generous ones which join together in mutual, vulnerable caring and support fills us with gratitude.” - Kathie and Dave Houchens, 2022 Hope Award Winners “I was very honored to get this award. It was a surprise and unexpected. I do this work because I am a gay man with prostate cancer and was desperate for information. By advocating for myself, I advocate for other gay men and moving forward for all men with prostate cancer.” - Anthony Pizzoferrato, 2022 Hope Award Winner
ZERO rolled out the “blue carpet” again for the fourth annual Bold for Blue Award Ceremony — a celebration of the passionate and dedicated men, women, families, and companies who have made a bold impact in the fight against prostate cancer. This year’s Bold for Blue fundraising awards high- lighted those who went above and beyond in 2021 with life-changing and heroic fundraising efforts to support patients and families during their time of critical need. This year’s Legacy Award was presented to Us TOO International, which merged with ZERO in 2021. The merger helped to increase prostate awareness and advance research and access to care through a united advocacy platform. Three honorees took home Impact Awards to honor their unrelenting commitment to the fight against prostate cancer. Congratulations to Ryan Pessah, Landi Maduro, and Don Williamson for raising awareness and funds in their communities above and beyond the call of duty. The winners of the Edward C. Kaps Hope Award were celebrated for their exemplary dedication, service, and for providing hope to prostate cancer survivors and their families.
Kaps Award recipients include Kathie and Dave Houchens, Anthony Pizzoferrato, and the late Jerry Deans. The recipient of the first-ever Caesar Blevins Warrior Award , inspired by and named after a prostate cancer super-advocate who passed away in April 2021, was the late Jim Wilhelmsen , for his devotion and passion for ending prostate cancer. The Megaphone Award Winner went to rock icon and founding member of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister, Jay Jay French , for raising his voice and bravely sharing his prostate cancer story. This year’s top corporate fundraisers include AutoNation, Pfizer Oncology, Bayer, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, and Baird . Top fundraisers included Sandy Maxey, Bill Miller, Suzanne Schlernitzauer, Karen Jauregui, The Forsburg 40, Team Nikituk, Jack Porter, Ryan and Anna Pessah, Team Angus, Robert Ferrari, Sue Spector, Nancy Diamond, Dan Perkins,
nothing could stop this committed community of heroes from standing by men and families to ensure elected officials hear patient experiences and answer their call to action. This year’s virtual Summit featured the same advocacy, education, and support that makes this an annual change-making event. 140 advocates from 39 states held 168 virtual meetings to urge their members of Congress to advance prostate cancer research funding. Advocates shared personal stories and helped
in interactive and informative sessions on the latest in prostate cancer research, sexual health, managing treatment side effects, and much more.
A very special thank you to ZERO’s Champions, who were instrumental in ensuring our community’s voices were heard by Congress.
Be sure to save the date for the 2023 Summit, held on February 26-28 in the Washington, D.C. area, with in-person and virtual opportunities. Registration is now open at zerocancer.org/summit
“ I MET A DOCTOR at the ZERO Prostate Cancer Summit who shared a treatment option that wasn’t even on my radar. I’m forever grateful and have made the Summit an annual tradition to connect with patients and fellow survivors to learn about the latest prostate cancer developments from the experts. “ Tony Mintor Prostate Cancer Survivor ZERO Champion
Catherine Hawley, Michael Bachmann, and Darik Pearson .
Anthony Pizzoferrato and his husband, Pete
Supporting Our Troops at Home
Stronger Communities In 2021, thanks to the recently completed merger with Us TOO , ZERO’s Us TOO support group network proudly grew to encompass 39 states, with additional groups to come. Support groups provide people impacted by prostate cancer with an opportunity to learn from shared experiences with others with a common purpose. While every prostate cancer diagnosis is unique, members of support groups often have similar feelings, worries, and concerns. Finding a support group can help one feel less lonely, improve understanding of treatments and side effects, reduce feelings of anxiety and distress, and so much more. Groups are available for all, virtually and in person, and include groups for veterans, Black men, the LGBTQIA+ community, caregivers, Spanish-speaking men, deaf men, and others. Care Across the Nation Through the dedication of cause heroes like you, ZERO’s national network of Chapter communities continues to expand to connect, support, and activate patients, survivors, families, medical partners, and corporations fighting to end prostate cancer. Our Chapters work to fuel ZERO’s economic engine, amplify patients’ voices, and bring ZERO’s initiatives to the local level allowing our programs to have a more impactful reach nationwide. ZERO has steadily grown our Chapter program each year while building staff committed to learning from those in their territory and making meaningful connections to move the ZERO mission forward. To better serve the national prostate cancer community, ZERO added three new Chapters in 2021 in Northern California, South Atlantic (FL, GA, AL, Central and Western TN,) and Southeast (NC, SC, Eastern TN) regions . ZERO’s Chapter team members have staff partners dedicated to unaffiliated states who work with Champions, fundraisers, and supporters in these regions to keep the fight to end prostate cancer moving forward.
BY THE NUMBERS
To learn more about your local Chapter and how to get involved, contact your Chapter team member today!
New England Chapter (VT, NH, ME, MA, CT, RI) Renee Haney National Director, Chapters renee@zerocancer.org Central Midwest Chapter (IA, MO, KS, NE) Emily Sybrant Regional Director, Central/Western Chapters emily@zerocancer.org Katilin Myers, Manager kaitlin@zerocancer.org Upper Midwest Chapter (MN, IL, WI) Tracy Cameron, Director tcameron@zerocancer.org East Coast Metro Chapter (NY, NJ, Greater Philadelphia Area) Renee Haney National Director, Chapters renee@zerocancer.org Tori Russell, Manager tori@zerocancer.org Mid-Atlantic Chapter (PA, DE, VA, MD, Washington, D.C.) Renee Haney National Director, Chapters renee@zerocancer.org Lishey Dent, Manager lishey@zerocancer.org
Texas/Oklahoma Chapter Daniella Garza, Coordinator daniella@zerocancer.org South Atlantic Chapter (NC, SC, Eastern TN) Matt Miller, Director matt.miller@zerocancer.org Southeast Chapter (GA, AL, FL, Central and Western TN) Josh Woods, Director josh.woods@zerocancer.org Southern California Chapter (Greater Bakersfield to Mexico Border) Emily Sybrant Regional Director, Central/Western Chapters emily@zerocancer.org Northern California Chapter (Greater Fresno to Oregon Border) Kourtney Brandt, Director kourtney@zerocancer.org Unaffiliated Chapter Regions Renee Haney National Director, Chapters renee@zerocancer.org Shawn K. Supers Director, Donor Relations shawn@zerocancer.org
Veterans face a higher diagnosis rate of prostate cancer when compared to the general population. One in five American veterans will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, making the resources, tools, and education to fight this disease urgently important. These are alarming numbers, and immediate action, as well as future planning, are critically important to ensuring veterans receive the support and care they need. In 2021, The ZERO Prostate Cancer Veterans Initiative helped support the Veterans’ Prostate Cancer Treatment and Research Act which is expected to pass both the House and Senate soon. The bill aims to establish a national clinical pathway for prostate cancer within the Veterans Health Administration and would ensure that the VA provides world-class prostate cancer care to our nation’s veterans and leads the way in identifying a cure for this deadly disease. ZERO’s Veterans Prostate Cancer Working Group continues to bring together members of the prostate cancer and veterans service communities to advance policy priorities. ZERO is also committed to developing and disseminating prostate cancer educational materials and supporting research for veterans and active-duty military members.
1 in 5 U.S. veterans will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis among U.S. veterans. Nearly 489,000 prostate cancer patients are in the VA healthcare system. Prostate cancer rates in the military are twice those of the general population. 16,000 of these patients have metastatic prostate cancer.
“ AS A PROSTATE CANCER PATIENT AND VETERAN, I know that no man is an island, and I knew early on that I would need the support of many. I turned to ZERO for help in my journey, and now I’m proud to give back by being an advocate and a Champion. We’re on the front lines helping men and families who are facing the hardest battle of their lives by providing support, education, and hope for a cure. “ Colonel Mark Franklin
US Army, Retired ZERO Champion
PROSTATE CANCER VETERANS INITIATIVE
Building a Hopeful Future: ZERO Champions ZERO Champions Making a Difference
to the 2015 South Florida Run/Walk and have been instrumental in the race and ZERO’s mission ever since. This year, Grace has been actively involved in fundraising and supporting the growth of our Tee-Off event in Miami, working alongside ZERO’s Southeast Chapter Director Josh Woods to help raise more than $21,000 for prostate cancer patients and families. Thank you to Grace, Marlene, and Danielle for your inspirational dedication to ZERO’s mission!
and inspiration from one another to advance the cause and accomplish incredible things in both their local communities and across the country. ZERO Champions are critical to the success of our mission to ZERO out prostate cancer. We continue to expand our outreach nationwide to welcome new Champions who will be the changemakers to create Generation ZERO, the first generation free from prostate cancer. A sincere and heartfelt thank you to our 550+ Champions nationwide. You are making an indelible difference in the lives of prostate cancer patients and families, and we are incredibly #ZEROProud of you. Are you inspired to join the ranks of committed heroes and become a ZERO Champion? We’d be thrilled to include you in our inspiring group of passionate leaders. Champions have exclusive access to program benefits that will help establish you as a leader and resource within your community. To join ZERO’s incredible national group of dedicated leaders, please contact Shawn K. Supers, Director of Donor Relations, at shawn@zerocancer.org , 202-344-9058, or visit zerocancer.org/champions for more information.
Last year, life during the COVID-19 pandemic seemed to slow to a halt for many but ZERO Champions never missed a beat. This inspiring group of individuals answered the call time and time again, playing an invaluable role in supporting the prostate cancer community. From volunteering, to fundraising, to mentoring, to being advocates and steadfast sources of support, our amazing Champions have done it all to support prostate cancer patients and families. With intimate and often first-hand knowledge of the pain caused by prostate cancer, Champions are committed to preventing and easing the suffering felt by the ZERO community. They find strength, support,
awareness to high-risk men who may not know their risk of developing the disease. Thank you, Michael, for your incredible commitment to our ZERO community!
Michael Dunne of Pennsylvania is a prostate cancer survivor who was diagnosed with stage three prostate cancer shortly after his 50th birthday. Although his father also had prostate cancer, Michael knew little about the disease and quickly armed himself with knowledge, turning to ZERO for support. As his surgery and treatment plans came to fruition, Michael promised himself one thing: once he was healed from surgery, he would help make sure men knew their risks and got the testing needed to detect the disease early. During Michael’s surgical recovery, he learned of ZERO’s Grow & Give campaign and made good on the promise he made himself. In 2021, he participated in Grow & Give, our national fundraising and awareness campaign, and raised more than $10,000 to fuel ZERO’s patient support resources, impact our work to secure and protect federal research dollars directed at prostate cancer and bring
Grace DeLeon of Florida is a caregiver who lost her beloved husband, Jose “Pepe” DeLeon, after a hard-fought battle against prostate cancer in 2015. Grace and her incredible daughters, Marlene and Danielle, have turned their loss into a family passion for advancing ZERO’s mission and helping make sure prostate cancer doesn’t hurt another family as it did theirs. After the loss of Pepe, Grace and her daughters have worked tirelessly to share his story to inspire others to fight the way Pepe did, to have hope, and to stay positive in their battle. In doing so, they found ZERO a few weeks prior
“ WE GOT INVOLVED WITH ZERO to help spread the word about prostate cancer. Men are often quiet about their illness and don’t want to speak up, but the disease is killing too many of our men, and it’s time to take action. “ Grace DeLeon ZERO Champion
“ WHY AM I PASSIONATE about the fight against prostate cancer? Because men need to know that their issues are just as important as they are. Because men need the extra encouragement to get help, to talk about what’s going on, and not shy away from their health just because the world isn’t making a spectacle out of it. Because it’s important to me, for my husband, for my father, for my son. “
Amanda Tribuzio ZERO Champion
Racing Toward a ZERO Prostate Cancer Future
Run/Walk Honor Roll
AT A GLANCE
Run/Walk Teams and Individuals Raising $5,000+ Climbing the ZERO Run/Walk fundraising leaderboard is hard work and deserves a round of applause. Thank you to these dedicated leaders for making a difference in the lives of patients and families.
The ZERO Prostate Cancer Run/Walk series is the largest men’s health event series in the United States and the only nationwide prostate cancer run/walk program. Patients and survivors are the true ZERO heroes at our Run/Walk events, and thousands of participants nationwide run, walk, and fundraise in their honor. The COVID-19 pandemic required most of the 2021 ZERO Prostate Cancer Run/Walk season to shift from in-person to virtual. Still, nothing could stop this committed community from sprinting to help ZERO out prostate cancer, successfully connecting patients, survivors, caregivers, families, and friends nationwide to raise awareness, provide support, and raise millions of dollars for patients in need. This year, we were proud to host the ZERO Prostate Cancer Run/Walk back on the ground with the largest event series yet with 46 in-person events and a virtual Run/Walk weekend. The energy was magnetic as communities across the nation were able to connect in support of our cause once again. Thank you to all of those who participated and raised funds to build a ZERO prostate cancer future. Thanks to our dedicated fundraisers, ZERO’s Run/Walks have raised $2.7 million in 2021 and more than $32 million since its inception in 2008, allowing ZERO to support more patients and families during their time of urgent need. The Run/Walk series has built a community of more than 170,000 patients, survivors, caregivers, families, and health advocates and has granted more than $4.5 million to local organizations to provide education, awareness, no-cost screenings, and hands-on care.
Andrew Zweig Ripple Runners Angus Bach Around the Clock Bunch O Nuts Catherine Chapman Chemosabes
Finleigh Forsburg FOFTC Spare the Walnut Folks for the Cure Frednecks Hoboken Strong NJ
Soaring Eagle Team Bayer North Jersey Team Greater Boston Urology Team Nikituk Team Philibin Team Poppa, Pappy and Cuggy
$32,000,000 proudly raised by the Run/Walk series over the last 15 years 170,000 Run/Walk participants $4,500,000 in local grants given 200,000+ patients and families supported
Jeffrey Philibin Karen Jauregui Mark Hagenbuch Michael Bachmann Miles for Mike Pfizer NYC
Christopher Meyer Clovis BRCA Blue Cracked Walnuts Eliza Forsburg
Team Vandervort The Forsburg 40 This One’s For Terry Warren’s Warriors
Run/Walk Premier Sponsor A heartfelt thank you to
Abbvie, our Premier national Run/Walk sponsor. We are grateful for your partnership and support during the past 15 years. Thank you for investing in prostate cancer patients and their families.
“ I RUN IN HONOR OF MEN who have dealt with this disease. Being around the fellow survivors and their families who have traveled this prostate cancer journey renews my appreciation and recharges me to do more and more each year. I’m so happy to be part of this community. “ Kevin Taylor Prostate Cancer Advocate
Catherine Hawley Chapman When 2021’s Run/Walk series rapidly changed from in-person to virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic, outstanding volunteers like Catherine stepped up to become virtual coaches to provide direction and support to our committed community of Run/Walk participants. Catherine’s leadership was vital to Lehigh Valley’s success and helped transform the in-person event into a fun and engaging virtual experience for all. Catherine lost both her grandfathers and her father to prostate cancer and in 2015, turned her grief into passion by forming Team Chemosabes to participate in the Lehigh Valley event. Since then, Catherine has become a cornerstone of her local prostate cancer community, encouraging involvement and cheering on participants. Last year, to make the Lehigh Valley event fun – from a distance – she helped organize a Champions car parade and a “Best Running View” contest in which participants could submit a photo of their scenic route for a chance to win a prize. As part of the virtual Lehigh Valley Run/Walk, Catherine ran a local route that spelled out ZERO Cancer to top off her amazing feat of raising more than $1,500 in just seven days. Catherine continuously goes above and beyond for her local community in memory of her dad, Mark, and other lost loved ones. Thank you, Catherine , for all of your hard work and dedication! Run/Walk Volunteer Spotlight
Urology Practice Partners 2021 Grantees
A cornerstone of the ZERO Run/ Walk series is the community grant program, which assists in funding local nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping prostate cancer patients and families in their own backyards. Blue Ribbon Cancer Coalition of PA Cancer Resource Foundation Cone Memorial Hospital Hartford Healthcare Tallwood Urology
The ZERO Prostate Cancer Run/Walk series has been a nationwide force for progress in the fight against prostate cancer for more than fifteen years. With the partnership of urology practices coast to coast, ZERO works with many medical professionals and their teams to host these events that bring hope, awareness, and critical funds to help patients and their families. Thank you for our committed partners: Adult Pediatric Urology & Urogynecology Advanced Urology Associates Adventist Health St. Helena Hospital Alliance Urology Specialists Associated Urologists of North Carolina Augusta Urology Associates Blue Ribbon Cancer Coalition of PA Chesapeake Urology Genesis Care Genesis Healthcare Partners Greater Boston Urology Hackensack Meridian Health HaloDx Hartford Healthcare Tallwood Urology & Kidney Institute New Jersey Urology New York-Presbyterian Hospital Columbia University New York Proton Center Northwell Health Oregon Urological Society Potomac Urology Summit Urology Group The Iowa Clinic The New York Section American Urological Association Urology Austin Urology Center of Iowa Urology of Central Pennsylvania Urology of Virginia Urology Specialists of the Carolinas Washington State Urology Society
REX Healthcare Foundation Schellhammer Urological Research Foundation The Empowerment Network Urology Care Foundation
Southeast Urologic Oncology Foundation Midwest Prostate Cancer Coalition Utah Healthy Living Foundation St. Helena Hospital Foundation
Weill Cornell Medicine Department of Urology This year, we’re excited to
Irving Medical Center Department of Urology Kansas City Urology Care PC MidLantic Urology Minneapolis Radiation Oncology Minnesota Urology Minnesota Urology Foundation Montefiore Medical Center
welcome new partners to our community. Thank you to Tampa General Hospital, Florida Urology Partners, Mon Health Medical Center Auxiliary, Kearney Urology Center PC & The Prostate Health Podcast, Houston Metro Urology, UroPartners, Urologic Specialists, Memphis Urology, and Golden State Urology.
Department of Urology Mount Sinai Department of Urology
Connecting to Further the Cause
Answering the Call to Help
For many patients, 2021 presented never before seen challenges. Interrupted care, rescheduled medical appointments, and increased isolation made the battle against prostate cancer more challenging. Despite these newfound hurdles, our caring community remained steadfast in its commitment to ensuring patients and families didn’t face their prostate cancer journey alone. Your voices helped provide a lifeline for patients when they needed it most. Connecting with family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues amplified prostate cancer awareness in communities nationwide while raising the critical funds needed to provide lifesaving resources and support services to prostate cancer patients. There are more opportunities than ever to impact our mission in ways that are unique to you and your network. Thank you for sharing your passion. Your efforts have helped provide critically important resources and services to patients in need.
Ryan Pessah’s passion for educating men about prostate cancer came after losing his dad to the disease. Along with his wife, Anna, he founded Hops and Handlebars, an innovative fundraiser that brings together the Sacramento, CA community – all in the name of prostate cancer awareness. By hosting monthly, family-friendly events at local breweries, Hops and Handlebars raised an incredible amount of support to benefit ZERO’s mission in 2021. Not only are Ryan and Anna dedicated Hops and Handlebars hosts, but they are also committed fundraisers. In 2021, their team was the top Grow & Gives community team, raising more than $14,000 to advance ZERO’s mission. Ryan has gone above and beyond the call of duty for ZERO, and we were proud to honor him with an Impact Award for his advocacy work in the state of California at the 2022 Bold for Blue
Last year, the community got hairy for a good cause. By growing beards, rocking boldly blue styles, or going for a clean shave, individuals and companies participated in Grow & Give and raised more than $260,000 in generous gifts, pushing Grow & Give over the $1 million raised since the program’s inception. As a result, more patients than ever before had access to financial and emotional support, insurance navigation, peer support, and more.
Our compassionate community got creative during 2021 and turned to livestreaming to support ZERO’s mission while staying indoors. By playing video games, cooking for the cause, singing, sweating it out on camera, or trying out a new hairdo, fundraisers went above and beyond to make a difference and inspire others to get involved. Thousands of new viewers and community members were reached through Twitch and Discord helping to raise funds to support prostate cancer patients and families.
awards ceremony. Thank you, Ryan and Anna, for your passion and commitment to the prostate cancer community.
PROS4CARE • 2022
Your support has been a hole-in- one! This year, our Tee-off events went live and were hosted in Dallas, TX; Miami, FL; Atlanta, GA; and Edison, NJ, raising more than $90,000 to provide resources for prostate cancer patients. These fun-for-all-ages golf events are a great way to introduce friends and family members to your passion for supporting the prostate cancer community. No golf experience is needed to take a swing in the fight against this disease!
Working to create Generation ZERO has become even more urgent for the Pessah family as they welcomed their son, Tomer, in 2021.
Remembering Jim Wilhelmsen February 3, 1952 - January 20, 2022
ZERO’s Leadership
Board of Directors Tom Bognanno Chairman Alicia Morgans, M.D., M.P.H. Vice Chair Ed Lomasney Secretary/Treasurer Marty Chakoian Alan Goldman Tom Hulsey Karen Jauregui Brad Lerner, M.D. Daniel Perkins Jon Poindexter Kelvin Moses, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S. Cheryl Nikituk Jim Schraidt Jonathan Schwartz Don Slaght
ZERO Management Team Jamie Bearse President and CEO* Kathy Costigan Chief Development Officer* Colony Brown Senior Vice President Marketing and Communications* Tracy Cesaretti Vice President, Events Ali Manson Vice President Government Relations and Advocacy Shelby Moneer Vice President Patient Programs and Education Reggie Tucker-Seeley, Ph.D. Vice President, Health Equity
This year, we sadly lost one of ZERO’s most fearless and devoted Champions, Jim Wilhelmsen. After losing his father and grandfather to prostate cancer, Jim was diagnosed in 2013. A loving husband and father, Jim and his wife Venetia, along with their four children, have been Champions and advocates for ZERO for over eight years. His passion to raise awareness of prostate cancer was unrelenting, so much so, that Jim took virtual Capitol Hill meetings while receiving his chemotherapy treatment during the 2021 ZERO Summit. After nine years of fighting for himself, his family, and all men – Jim passed away in January. His devotion and his passion to end prostate cancer live on in the many people he impacted along his journey. “ I LIKE TO SHOW PEOPLE PICTURES of my father and grandfather, my sons and grandchildren because that’s why I’m fighting. It’s ‘ H uman O ptimism P ursued E nergetically’. And it’s pretty gratifying that I’m able to help spread
that message. “ Jim Wilhelmsen ZERO Champion
*Executive Team Members
Medical Advisory Board
2021 Financials
Stacy Loeb, M.D., M.S.c., Ph.D. (Hon) New York University School of Medicine and the Manhattan Veterans Affairs Medical Center Benjamin H. Lowentritt, M.D., F.A.C.S. Chesapeake Urology Associates and Director of the Minimally Invasive and Robotic Surgery Group at Chesapeake Urology Joanna Morales, Esq. Triage Cancer Meredith Morgan, M.S.N. Urology Oncology Clinic, University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
Alicia Morgans, M.D., M.P.H., Chair Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Tomasz Beer, M.D. Knight Cancer Institute Oregon Health and Science University Nilay M. Gandhi, M.D. Potomac Urology Inova Alexandria Hospital Elisabeth Heath, M.D., F.A.C.P. Wayne State University
Kelvin Moses, M.D., Ph.D. Vanderbilt University Medical Center Rachel S. Rubin, M.D. Assistant Clinical Professor in Urology at Georgetown University Charles J. Ryan, M.D. Prostate Cancer Foundation Alison Sachs, M.S.W., C.S.W., O.S.W.-C. Eisenhower Lucy Curci Cancer Center Eric Shinohara, M.D., M.S.C.I. Vanderbilt University Medical Center
OVERVIEW 2021 Gross Income
$9,933,004 $(7,552,320)
Gross Expenses
Profit/Loss
$2,380,684
Assets Total Assets
School of Medicine Laurence Klotz, M.D. University of Toronto
$7,871,432 $710,595
Total Liabilities
Net Assets
$7,160,837
SPENDING
SPENDING BY PROGRAM CATEGORY
84.39% PROGRAM EXPENSES $6,245,921 5.55%
68.37% EDUCATION & AWARENESS $4,270,583 1.67% RESEARCH $104,100
ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES $411,795
ZERO is a 501(c)(3) philanthropic organization recognized with four out of four stars by Charity Navigator, and is accredited by the Better Business Bureau. 2995 & 2768 WHERE THE MONEY GOES 85 CENTS OF EVERY DOLLAR GOES TO PROGRAMS & ACTIVITIES
13.93% PATIENT SUPPORT $870,100 16.03% ADVOCACY $1,001,138
10.06% FUNDRAISING EXPENSES $744,604
2768
WHERE THE MONEY GOES 85 CENTS OF EVERY DOLLAR GOES TO PROGRAMS & ACTIVITIES
TOTAL: $7,402,320
TOTAL: $6,245,921
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