It is a wonderful thing that October is Breast Cancer Awarness Month and that a big effort is being made to make people realize the importance of being aware of the danger and raising money for research.
However, as a prostate cancer survivor, I cannot help but be bemused at the amount of hoopla about breast cancer and the deafening silence regarding the dangers of prostate cancer.
Consider:
From The Prostate Cancer Foundation:
"Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed non-skin cancer in the United States. One in six American men will develop prostate cancer in the course of his lifetime. A little-known fact is that a man is 33% more likely to develop prostate cancer than an American woman is to get breast cancer.
" In 2005, over 232,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and over 30,000 men will die from it.
It is estimated that there are over 2 million American men currently living with prostate cancer."
From Imaginis The Breat Cancer Resource:
“It is estimated that 40,410 women will die from breast cancer in the United States this year. According to the American Cancer Society”
Don’t the men count? 
it is pretty amazing. i am, right at this moment, preparing packets for the employees of our company that address health risk and preventative exams. psa and digital rectal are very simple exams that can save lives but i agree, you’re right, there’s not the same push for the men.
the following links are for some of the more effective self exam info i’ve used:
Self Skin Exam
Self Testicular Exam Clip
Self Breast Exam Clip
Self Breast Exam Shower Card Mens Health Merchandise (click around)
You think the silence about that is deafening?
What about the zero decibel response to the fact that men, on average, die about seven years earlier than women? If the relationship were reversed I think you can imagine the noise.
I interpret this factoid to indicate that many men care more about their favourite team than they do about themselves.
How about a Word from da Man on the peril of lefties
You’re a survivor. Start a foundation. Hold a walk. Engage some celebrities in an auction or event.
That’s how breast cancer went from being something that was whispered about and ignored to a major social and media issue. Women felt (correctly) that their health problems were being ignored, so they started pushing for better funding and more information. The latest issue in the women’s health community is heart disease, which kills a lot more women than breast cancer does. But women’s heart disease has not gotten much publicity until very recently. Now there’s the red dress campaign, and women who have been affected by heart disease are starting to push prevention and research.
I predicted about 10 years ago that the emphasis on breast cancer would be followed by emphasis on men’s cancers, particularly testicular and prostate cancer. I’ve seen them grow from virtually unknown problems to getting widespread publicity. Now when a celebrity (Jerry Orbach 
) dies of prostate cancer we hear that that was the cause. Lance Armstrong and Tom Green have been very public about their testicular cancer. I’ve seen cover stories in major newsmagazines and stories on the TV newsmagazines about prostate cancer. Golf’s Champion’s Tour (the tour for men over 50) regularly conducts prostate cancer screenings and includes prostate cancer information in their charity promotions. TV’s NYPD Blue did a lengthy story arc in which the lead character discovered that he had prostate (in his word “prostrate”) cancer, reviewed the options, was treated, and dealt with the aftermath. Although Viagra is obviously now marketed as a sexual aid, it was originally intended as a medication for people who suffered erectile dysfunction as a result of health issues, and the very first commercial involved Bob Dole as a prostate cancer survivor and treatment advocate.
There is plenty of prostate cancer information and publicity out there, but there obviously could be more. That will happen when men, notoriously bad about taking care of their health, step up and start promoting prevention and treatment themselves. Men do care about their favorite teams – so make that the hook. Get some sports celebrities on board talking about their regular checkups and prostate exams. Auction off sports memorabilia. Hold a charity batting or putting contest. Have a prostate cancer awareness day in the NFL.
Actually, what you guys really need is a ribbon. I suggest a manly blue and white stripe. Then you plaster that sucker all over everything and start promoting. I have breast cancer ribbon checks, and I wear breast cancer ribbon bras (!) Start a prostate cancer campaign, and I will do my part, because I think that men’s health is every bit as important as women’s health. It’s just more important to me that we address issues that might affect me personally. And it’s up to men to make sure that diseases that affect them get the attention they deserve.
A little internet research reveals that September was Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and there is a Prostate Cancer Awareness ribbon. All you need now is more promotion.