Bayer to Bring Prostate Cancer Awareness to Center Court with Coaches vs. Cancer Partnership

WHIPPANY, N.J., Aug. 24, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Bayer HealthCare today announced a new partnership with Coaches vs. Cancer, an awareness initiative led by the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches. As part of the agreement, Bayer's new prostate cancer educational effort, Men Who Speak Up, has been named the title sponsor of an annual early-season NCAA men's basketball tournament called the "Main Event," at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in November 2015.

In the United States, prostate cancer is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer and a leading cause of cancer-related death in men.¹ While early stage prostate cancer can cause no symptoms, symptoms may emerge as the disease progresses.¹ Men Who Speak Up (www.menwhospeakup.com) is a program that helps those living with prostate cancer recognize the warning signs of advancing disease and provides them with the tools they need to speak up and take action.

"Through Men Who Speak Up, we hope to empower those with prostate cancer to break the silence about their symptoms," said Shannon Campbell, vice president and general manager of Oncology at Bayer. "Men often grit their teeth and play through any pain or discomfort they experience. Our partnership with Coaches vs. Cancer will allow us to engage with the community and help make a difference in the lives of patients. During the 'Men Who Speak Up Main Event' this fall, we hope to spread the message about the importance of early symptoms detection across college basketball and beyond."

This year's tournament will benefit Movember, an annual November campaign from the Movember Foundation that challenges men to grow moustaches to spread awareness about men's health issues. As part of Movember awareness, 500 tickets to the "Men Who Speak Up Main Event" will be distributed free of charge on a first-come, first-serve basis to fans sporting real or faux moustaches at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

The "Men Who Speak Up Main Event" tournament games will take place on November 23 and 25 in Las Vegas. The "Heavyweight" bracket teams include Clemson University, Creighton University, University of Massachusetts and Rutgers University, while the "Middleweight" bracket will feature University of Central Arkansas, Howard University, University of Texas San Antonio and Texas Southern University.

About Men Who Speak Up
For men with advancing prostate cancer, discomfort can be a sign that something needs to be done. Men Who Speak Up is a nationwide movement that brings the symptoms of advancing prostate cancer to life for the community, so that men know when to speak up and take action against their disease. The program raises the collective voices of prostate cancer – the doctors who treat it, the patients and caregivers who live it, and the advocacy groups who support them – and delivers informational tools and resources to those who need them most. For more information, visit www.MenWhoSpeakUp.com.

About Coaches vs. Cancer
Coaches vs. Cancer is a nationwide program spearheaded by the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches that empowers coaches, their teams, and communities to join the fight against cancer by participating in awareness efforts, advocacy programs, and fundraising activities.

About Advanced Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men in the U.S. and the second leading cause of cancer death in men, as approximately one in 38 will die from the disease.¹ It is estimated that approximately 220,800 men will be diagnosed with, and 27,540 men will die from, prostate cancer in the U.S. in 2015.¹ The stage of prostate cancer is one of the most important factors in determining treatment options and the outlook for recovery.¹  If prostate cancer spreads, or metastasizes, beyond the prostate gland, it often first grows into nearby tissues or lymph nodes before spreading to the bones.¹ Approximately nine in 10 (90 percent) of patients with advanced prostate cancer develop bone metastases, impacting survival and quality of life.^2,3,4,5 Therefore, diagnosing and treating bone-related symptoms at the earliest onset is critical for patients.¹

About Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc. is the U.S.-based pharmaceuticals business of Bayer HealthCare LLC, a subsidiary of Bayer AG. Bayer HealthCare is one of the world's leading, innovative companies in the healthcare and medical products industry, and combines the activities of the Animal Health, Consumer Care, Medical Care, and Pharmaceuticals divisions.  As a specialty pharmaceutical company, Bayer HealthCare provides products for General Medicine, Hematology, Neurology, Oncology and Women's Healthcare.  The company's aim is to discover and manufacture products that will improve human health worldwide by diagnosing, preventing and treating diseases.

Bayer^® and the Bayer Cross^® are registered trademarks of Bayer. 

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SOURCE Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.