(Boston, MA) ? September 1, 2008 ? The Prostate Health Education Network (PHEN) is taking the novel approach of broadcasting its education and awareness programs on community television stations to reach men in their homes. Beginning in September, which is prostate cancer awareness month, community television stations across the country will launch PHEN TV programs as part of PHEN?s ?Rally Against Prostate Cancer? initiative. These programs will educate men about their risk for prostate cancer, screening guidelines, treatment options, survivorship issues and much more. PHEN?s ?Rally Against Prostate Cancer? is led by prostate cancer survivors, many of whom are featured in these programs. Their real life experiences of facing prostate cancer reflect a human interest programming approach that is effective in capturing the attention of other men.



PHENTV.com was launched in March 2008, and is an integral part of PHEN?s overall outreach strategy. ?We are using television broadcasts coupled with the power of the internet to educate and communicate with men and their families in the comfort and privacy of their own homes,? said Thomas A. Farrington, president and founder of PHEN. ?There is a devastating unmet prostate cancer education and awareness need, especially within the African American community; if we can fill this void, thousands of lives can be saved and the overall quality of survivors? lives will be greatly improved.? Farrington is also an eight year prostate cancer survivor.



More than 40 community television stations are expected to broadcast PHEN TV programs across the nation in major cities which include Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, Washington D.C, Boston, Cincinnati, Charlotte, and St. Louis. One of PHEN?s important objectives is to use the high visibility of television broadcasts to change the culture of prostate cancer in Black America from one of silence to one of openness, outreach and action.



Prostate cancer is the leading cause of cancer amongst all men. However, Black men die at rates 2.4 times (140%) that of all other men from this disease. This is the largest racial disparity for any type of cancer and one of the largest disparities for any disease. PHEN?s primary mission is to eliminate the African American prostate cancer disparity.



PHEN produces programs from its annual ?African American Prostate Cancer Disparity Summit,? which takes place on Capitol Hill each September, as well as footage from other of its meetings and events. Each month, PHEN will release new programming to its national community broadcast partners, featuring survivors, experts, legislators addressing the issue of prostate cancer. PHEN also plans to make these programs available on DVD so that churches, businesses, clubs, fraternities and other organizations can provide prostate health education and awareness programming to their members and constituents.