Canada's largest golf retailer — Golf Town, has
committed to a three-year, national support program to raise funds for The
Prostate Cancer Research Foundation of Canada as well as increase awareness
for the devastating disease estimated to afflict one in eight men.
“We started supporting the foundation last year because a large
percentage of our customers — men between the ages of 40 and 55 — are prime
candidates for the disease,” said Stephen Bebis, CEO of Golf Town Canada, and
newly appointed member of The Prostate Research Foundation of Canada board of
directors. “Prostate cancer is the number one cancer threat to men in Canada,”
said Bebis. Golf Town raised $70,000 for research and public education during
The Prostate Research Foundation of Canada's Prostate Cancer Awareness Week
last September representing almost 50% of its $150,000 commitment over three
years.
The Prostate Cancer Research Foundation of Canada funds innovative
research that helps men today through advances in screening, diagnosis, and
treatment, and seeks long-term solutions leading to prevention.
Kicking off the Golf Town campaign is a concerted effort by the company
to promote regular prostate examinations by offering all Golf Town male
employees free testing. Provincial health authorities in many Canadian
Provinces currently charge a fee for PSA testing. “Our idea is to start
promoting prostate cancer prevention right here, right now,” said Bebis.
In addition, Golf Town will donate a portion of all proceeds from the
sale of private label golf shirts and golf balls going to the Foundation. As
well, awareness information support with brochures in merchandise bags
prepared for distribution at events such as The Prostate Research Foundation
of Canada Father's Day Run in June 2004. All 20 Golf Town locations will be
displaying informational posters and seeding merchandise stuffers. In August
and September, leading up to Prostate Cancer Awareness Week, September 19-25,
2004, an aggressive in-store campaign will take place to complement the
Foundation's national campaign, including employee awareness buttons, bag
stuffers, advertorials in national publications, and sale prices on prostate
cancer golf balls. Golf Town is also preparing a prostate cancer research fact
page on their web site with a link to donate online at www.prostatecancer.ca
“Our association with Golf Town at this level is a first for The Prostate
Research Foundation of Canada,” said John Blanchard, President and CEO, The
Prostate Research Foundation of Canada. “We're really excited about Golf
Town's ability to bring prostate cancer to the forefront. There are currently
about five million Canadian men in their prostate cancer prone years. It's the
number one cancer threat to the lives and health of Canadian men but very
little is known about the disease, and prostate cancer research is grossly
under funded. Together with Golf Town, we're hoping to increase the profile of
this huge health threat.”
The Prostate Cancer Research Foundation of Canada is the leading national
organization devoted solely to eliminating prostate cancer. Its mission is to
fund research into the causes, cure, and prevention of the disease. Prostate
cancer is the number one cancer threat to Canadian men. It will afflict 1 in 8
men in their lifetime. The Foundation is committed to changing this reality.
