West Hartford will join more than 40 communities across the country in hosting the ZERO Prostate Cancer Run/Walk.

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To end a disease that takes the life of an American man every 20 minutes, West Hartford joins 40 plus communities across the nation in hosting the ZERO Prostate Cancer Run/Walk.

ZERO – The End of Prostate Cancer and Hartford HealthCare Tallwood Urology & Kidney Institute will partner on April 10 at Blue Back Square for a 5K run/walk to save lives and help the more than 2,000 men in Connecticut who will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year.

The event will be held rain or shine, at the following start times:

• 9 a.m.: 5K Run/Walk
• 10 a.m.: Kids Superhero Dash for Dad

Free race day parking is available at the West Hartford Town Hall parking lot, right near Blue Back Square.

“Prostate health and prostate cancer are issues that men still whisper about – they don’t talk about it openly enough,” said Walter Gibson, a prostate cancer survivor from Bloomfield, CT. “Being able to talk about prostate cancer openly and having an event such as the ZERO Prostate Cancer Run/Walk in Hartford will serve as encouragement for men to understand that it shouldn’t be such a secret, that it’s not something that should be avoided.”

Gibson, an African-American man with a family history of prostate cancer, was diagnosed with the disease in his late 60s. From the beginning of his journey, he understood what the implications of what the word ‘cancer’ might mean, but he didn’t let that deter his positive attitude. He found throughout his treatment and recovery that eventually he was able to do many of the things he had done before – including playing the tuba. He is now advocating for the importance of prostate cancer awareness and is glad that the Run/Walk occurs during National Minority Health Month this April, as prostate cancer is the fourth-leading cause of death among African-American men over the age of 45.

In order to help raise additional awareness, PSA testing will also be available on site on race day from 8:30 – 10:30 am.

“Men typically do not care for themselves in the same way women do; they are not the best advocates for their own health. Events like the Run/Walk raise awareness for everyone in the community, and are important for those patients and survivors to know that the community is behind them. Anything that we can do to dispel the stereotype that prostate cancer is not dangerous – especially for African-American men – is fantastic,” said Dr. Kesler, Walter’s physician at Hartford HealthCare.

“For the past 10 years, the ZERO Prostate Cancer Run/Walk has rallied communities and given participants a voice in the fight to end prostate cancer,” said ZERO CEO Jamie Bearse. “By mobilizing survivors, patients, caregivers, families, and businesses in communities across the country to raise funds and awareness, we can make prostate cancer a national priority.”

Funds raised for this year’s Run/Walk event will provide prostate cancer research, education, outreach, and support for local men and families in the Hartford community. Additionally, funds will go toward national efforts to provide research for new treatments, patient support resources, and to educate men and families about prostate cancer.

For more information on the race, visit www.zeroprostatecancerrun.org/hartford.

About ZERO — The End of Prostate Cancer (www.zerocancer.org)

ZERO – The End of Prostate Cancer is the leading national nonprofit organization with the mission to end prostate cancer. ZERO advances research, encourages action, and provides education and support to men and their families through our patient-centric programs. ZERO’s premier activities include the ZERO Prostate Cancer Run/Walk, America’s largest men’s health event series. We are a 501c3 philanthropic organization recognized with four stars out of four stars by Charity Navigator, accredited by the Better Business Bureau, and 97 cents of every dollar donated goes to research and programs. For more information, visit www.zerocancer.org.