Prostate Cancer Survivor Begins 1,700 Mile Paddle For Awareness

High-School Instructor and Kayaker from Massachusetts Departs Chicago on 54-day Prostate Cancer Awareness Trek.

Nine months a year Skip Ciccarelli, a 60-year-old survivor of prostate cancer, is a high school carpentry instructor at Shawsheen Technical High School in the Boston suburb of Billerica. This morning he became the champion of two million American men battling prostate cancer. Setting out on a 54-day, 1,700 mile kayak trek that will take him from the shores of Lake Michigan in Chicago to the Hudson River in New York City, Ciccarelli is determined to raise awareness for one of the most prevalent forms of cancer, second only to melanomas.

In 2002, Ciccarelli was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer and was told by his doctors that he had two months time before the cancer spread to other parts of his body. In 2002, Ciccarelli was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer and was told by his doctors that he had two months time before the cancer spread to other parts of his body.

"At the time I realized, that like most men, I was clueless about prostate cancer and soon became flummoxed at how little men know about their own bodies," says Ciccarelli, a husband and father of three adult children. "I realize I need to use my own abilities to help raise awareness. By drawing attention to prostate cancer, I'm hoping more men will get prostate checkups and PSA screenings, and that more research will focus on this disease. When was the last time you heard someone talk about prostate cancer?"

According to the National Cancer Institute, nearly 28,000 men will die from prostate cancer in 2008 while 186,000 new cases are diagnosed. With the aging of the baby-boomer generation, the number of new cases diagnosed annually is projected to reach 300,000 by 2015—an increase of more than 60 percent—with an accompanying annual death rate of approximately 45,000. Early detection and treatment can result in a five-year survival rate of more than 90 percent.

Ciccarelli's approach is simple. He is hoping kayak clubs, cancer support groups, men's groups and individuals will join him in getting the word out about his journey for prostate cancer awareness. He also says that he would be delighted to have fellow kayakers and canoers paddle with him for stretches along the route. In fact, it wasn't until this week out that a friend of his contacted the Prostate Cancer Foundation for some help in getting the word out.

The course charted by Ciccarelli will take him through Lakes Michigan, Huron, St. Claire and Erie. It will also take him through the Detroit River and the Erie Canal before he starts his trip down the Hudson River. Covering 40 miles a day, with six days built in for bad weather delays and two days off to join his students at a technical competition in Kansas City Missouri, Skip is planning on arriving at Manhattan's Pier 66 on August 9—the seven year anniversary of his surgery. More information on Skip and his 1,700 mile journey can be found at www.paddle4prostate.org.

About the Prostate Cancer Foundation

Prostate cancer strikes one out of every six American men. The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world's largest philanthropic source of support for prostate cancer research to discover better treatments and a cure for recurrent prostate cancer. PCF pursues its mission by reaching out to individuals, corporations and others to harness society’s resources—financial and human—to fight this deadly disease. Founded in 1993, the PCF has raised more than $350 million and provided funding for more than 1,400 research projects at nearly 150 institutions worldwide. The PCF has been a pioneer in the grant making process, simplifying paperwork for grantees, leaving more time for scientific investigators to conduct needed research. The PCF also advocates for greater awareness of prostate cancer and more government resources, resulting in a twenty-fold increase in government funding for prostate cancer. More information about PCF can be found at www.pcf.org.

Note to Editors

The following schedule is an estimated itinerary. Skip's actual progress can be tracked daily on his website www.paddle4prostate.org. Schedule adjustments will be made throughout the trek to allow for rest days and possible weather delays.

June 14 – 11:00 am, leave from Lincoln Park Boat Club, Chicago
June 15 – Racine, Wisconsin
June 17 – Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
June 19 – near Sturgeon Bay
June 21 – cross into Upper Peninsula of Michigan
June 22 – Head to Milwaukee in order to fly to Kansas City
June 28 – back to Milwaukee
June 29 to July 1 – Upper Peninsula of Michigan, which is remote
July 2 through July 8 – East Coast of Michigan
July 9 – Port Huron
July 10 – St. Clair River into Lake St. Clair
July 12 – Toledo, OH
July 14 – around Cleveland, OH
July 17 – west of Erie, PA
July 19 – Tonawanda NY near Buffalo
July 22 – Rochester NY
July 23 – west of Syracuse NY
July 25 – Utica NY
July 26 – Schenectady NY
July 27 – Albany NY
July 29 – Poughkeepsie NY
August 9 – Arrival at Pier 66, New York City