WHAT: Main Street Mile, a running and walking event for everyone that helps raise awareness and money to fight prostate cancer.
WHEN: 6:15 p.m. Friday with races starting about every 15 minutes.
WHERE: The race covers a three-block loop in Downtown Boise, starting on Main Street and continuing to 5th, Idaho and 8th streets before returning to Main Street. Spectators are welcome.
COST: $20 includes entry and a T-shirt, and proceeds support the event and organizations that fund research, education and prevention.
CONTACT: Bandanna Running & Walking at 386-9017.
SCREENINGS: The National Prostate Cancer Coalition's mobile clinic will hit four locations in the Treasure Valley. Exams and blood tests are free for men 40 and older:
9 a.m.-7 p.m. June 24: KeyBank, 1515 N. Whitley Dr., Fruitland.
9 a.m.-7 p.m. June 25: Albertsons, 2500 Blaine St., Caldwell.
9 a.m.-7 p.m. June 26: Les Schwab, 6017 Fairview Ave., Boise.
9 a.m.-5 p.m. June 27: Boise City Hall, 150 N. Captitol Blvd.
Looking around the crowded restaurant, Boisean Ryan Canning counted heads.
"There are five guys in here," he said, "who either have or will develop prostate cancer."
The statistic is one in six. More than 186,000 new cases are expected to surface this year, and Canning is attacking the problem where it lives. He is founder of the Main Street Mile, an awareness-building event he calls "the boy's version of Race for the Cure."
Now in its 5th year, the Main Street Mile has grown to include eight unique runs in Downtown Boise and four opportunities for free screenings in the National Prostate Cancer Coalition's mobile clinic. From the J-105 Mascot Scamper to the Les Schwab First Responders Team Challenge, activities lend a sense of humor to the underlying message - men need to be more proactive when it comes to their own health.
"Men don't do a good job of taking care of themselves. The attitude is, if it's not falling off it'll be okay," Canning said. "The goal of the Main Street Mile is to break that tendency down, to stress that 10 seconds of slight discomfort will give you a great measure of assurance in your health and a sense of security for you and your family."
While neither Canning nor any of his close friends or relatives have ever had prostate cancer, he knows how it feels to face a life-threatening condition. Injuries sustained in a car accident in 2001 left him with ulcerations in his colon. The organ had to be removed in 2005, and Canning had to modify his entire way of life, from his diet to his dreams.
His elite running career is over, but he channeled his love for the sport and heightened sensitivity to men's health issues into the Main Street Mile, which grows every year in terms of participation and community support. Nearly 2,000 local men have taken advantage of the complimentary blood test for prostate-specific antigen levels and the dreaded digital rectal exam. At a doctor's office, these tests would cost $190-$250, but physicians from the Idaho Urologic Institute are donating their services.
Dr. Joe Williams is one of them. He has been volunteering for the Main Street Mile since its inception and has caught multiple cases of prostate cancer early because of it. Like Canning, he believes part of the problem with the disease is the lack of discussion and action among men. According to the American Cancer Society, almost 100 percent of those diagnosed with prostate cancer before it metastasizes are still alive five years later. Those who detect it in its later stages have only a 33.4 percent chance of survival.
"There are a lot of men who don't seek routine follow-up when they should," Williams said. "I'm still amazed when patients come in with newly diagnosed prostate cancer who should have been screened for many years but just weren't."
One of the things keeping them away is fear and misunderstanding, particularly about the rectal exam. Williams said it is fast and minimally invasive, and by itself, it has a 60-70 percent chance of confirming cancer. Coupled with the blood test, that percentage climbs to 80-90 percent.
"It's a one-two punch," Williams said. "There aren't reliable signs and symptoms to tell people that they have early stage prostate cancer. It's a pretty silent process, which is why screening is so important."
Williams said prostate cancer trends toward older men, but family history, African-American heritage and unhealthy habits also are risk factors. The current recommendation is that all men older than 50 should have annual screenings. Those with risk factors should begin 5 to 10 years earlier, though research is being done on the possible benefits of testing even younger.
Even with definitive data, it might take Idaho a while to get its numbers up. The National Prostate Cancer Coalition's 2007 Cancer Report Card for the state was less than stellar. Idaho received three Fs, four Ds and one C, demonstrating that improvement is needed in mortality and screening rates, positive legislation, insurance mandates and the number of urologists and clinic sites statewide.
Williams explained that the predominantly rural nature of Idaho makes it difficult for a lot of men to access information and treatment, and with no mandated coverage, many more simply can't pay. But even these men can control elements of their health in the hope it will make a difference. Williams said smoking and obesity appear to be risk factors, and they can be even more troubling than elevated prostate-specific antigen levels.
"Guys come in significantly overweight and smoking in their late 50s or 60s with a strong family history of cardiovascular issues, and they're worried about mild PSA levels. The thing that's going to kill you is heart or lung disease. That's the elephant in the room," Williams said. "Sometimes, we have to take a step outside of our urology box and work on the whole health picture."
The whole health picture also is part of Canning's mission. He says that if men take an active role in monitoring themselves for prostate cancer, they might take a closer look at their overall wellness.
"I dealt with my own health issues, and it opened my eyes to the fact that guys need to be smarter about taking care of themselves. It changes your outlook on things," Canning said. "It put life in perspective for me."
Even if you are not at risk, the Main Street Mile is a great way to raise awareness and money to combat the second-leading cause of male cancer-related death in the United States. It is a family-oriented community block party with race categories for everyone. Kids chase an ice cream truck. Local mascots throw elbows. Companies trot the course together. Young runners give it their all. Pete Stauffer and Joe Weber from J-105 FM see how many cans of beer they can carry across the finish line with the help of their "Prostate Posse."
Their entry fees combined with grants and sponsorships contribute to the National Prostate Coalition Fund and the Main Street Mile Men's Health Fund, which received $30,000 and $10,000 respectively in 2007.
"The mile is a unique distance. It's something everybody can relate to whether you're a runner or not," Canning said.
The first year he put on the event, 400 people came. At least 1,400 are expected Friday, and everything is bigger and better than ever with the help of a handful of local businesses and organizations, including the Boise Burn, Boise Steelheads and Boise Hawks. More are on deck for next year, bringing the Main Street Mile one step closer to Canning's vision of a "phenomenally huge" national event. Even if it stays grass roots, saving one life is worth the sweat.
"Anytime we see public support for advocacy for male health issues," Williams said, "we're high-fiving."
Erin Ryan: 672-6732
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