LOS ANGELES, June 1, 2018 – From June 1 to 17 (Father’s Day), the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) and Major League Baseball (MLB) will team up for the 23rd Annual Home Run Challenge, a national men’s health campaign designed to support research and bring awareness to the fight against prostate cancer through the National Pastime.
he Home Run Challenge invites baseball fans to “Keep Dad in The Game” and pledge a donation for every home run hit by signing up at HomeRunChallenge.org, where a one-time donation will also be accepted. Every dollar donated to the Home Run Challenge will be granted to PCF to fund critical research to defeat prostate cancer and improve early detection methods. To date, the Home Run Challenge has raised nearly $50 million for scientific research.
“Partnering with Major League Baseball for the 23rd Annual Home Run Challenge has been like winning the World Series,” said Michael Milken, founder and chairman of PCF. “We are enormously grateful to our MLB partners for their ongoing dedication to help raise awareness about prostate cancer and the need to fund groundbreaking research that so many men living with the disease need in order to survive.”
Blue is the official color for prostate cancer awareness and MLB players, coaches and managers will lend their support in solidarity by wearing specially designed blue-infused caps on Father’s Day (June 17). The hats and other exclusive Father’s Day apparel will be available to purchase at MLBShop.com and at MLB stadiums nationwide, with 100% of MLB’s proceeds going to support PCF and partner Stand Up To Cancer.
“Major League Baseball is honored to partner with the Prostate Cancer Foundation in the Home Run Challenge,” said Melanie LeGrande, MLB vice president of social responsibility. “Across our sport, many lives have been affected by cancer, and we are proud to use our platform each year to raise funds and awareness for the fight against the disease. For more than 20 years, the Home Run Challenge has been a great opportunity to share the message about prostate cancer to help save lives.”
As an official charitable partner of MLB for more than two decades, PCF will continue its efforts to fund cutting-edge research projects as well as provide ongoing efforts to inform and create awareness to the general public. “The Home Run Challenge campaign is one of PCF’s most notable signature campaigns,” said Jonathan Simons, MD, PCF’s President and CEO. “We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Major League Baseball to help inform the public about the latest resources and significant advancements made in the battle against prostate cancer.”
QUICK FACTS:
One in 9 U.S. men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer which is equivalent to at least one player on a baseball team
One man dies from prostate cancer every 18 minutes which is roughly equivalent to one player per inning
More than 29,000 men will die from prostate cancer this year
Helping keep Dad “in the game”, PCF and MLB will hold the Home Run Challenge Tour Stops and Awareness Days in stadiums across the nation beginning May 29th with MLB teams providing in-game messages about prostate cancer reaching at least a half-a-million fans. Baseball enthusiasts are also encouraged to continue showing their support by uploading a photo to their social media platforms from the game wearing blue or their favorite MLB team’s jersey or hat using #HomeRunChallenge and/or #KeepDadintheGame. For more information about the Home Run Challenge, please visit www.HomeRunChallenge.org.