Hundreds of people showed up at Dunkin’ Donuts park Sunday morning—but, not for the Yard Goats.
Prostate cancer patients, survivors, and doctors along with their families and friends, laced up their shoes for the ZERO Prostate Cancer Run/Walk. The annual event raises funds and awareness for the cancer.
“Coming to the event is special to me because I was diagnosed with prostate cancer about 6 years ago,” said Bill Violette.
“It’s a privilege to be here, many friends made in the last five or six years who have actually gone through the same surgery and had the same experience,” said Ken Burke.
Hartford Health Care’s Tallwood Urology and Kidney Institute partnered with ZERO to put on the event. Dr. Joseph Wagner sees prostate cancer patients at Hartford Hospital every day.
“We need events like this to raise awareness and raise funds for our research efforts,” said Dr. Wagner.
The funds raised will go towards research for new treatments, free prostate cancer testing and educating men and families across the country about prostate cancer.
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“The best thing is I just bumped into somebody that I operated on seven years ago. I haven’t seen him in a few years because he’s cancer free. His PSA is still 0 hence the name of the event. That’s the best part for me,” Dr. Wagner said.
According to the American Cancer Society, one in nine men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.
“They do a very good job in helping survivors like myself find a way to support research,” said Jack Corroon, who is one of those men.
The event has inspired Corroon to raise awareness within his family and the broader community.
“I would hope that every man would become more aware of the situation. Check the PSAs, understand how prostate health is so important to your future life and to stay on top of it because it can creep up on you and before you know it, you have a problem you may have been better off detecting earlier,” said Corroon.
