The Large Urology Group Practice Association (LUGPA) and its member organizations will join with PHEN in the Father?s Day Rally Against Prostate Cancer. In churches across the country, LUGPA members will stand with prostate cancer survivors and their families on Father?s Day in efforts to raise awareness and address the African American prostate cancer crisis.



?Urologists are on the front lines in diagnosing and treating prostate cancer, and they are also very much involved in clinical trials to find new treatments for the disease. We must find ways to work closer with this medical community if we are going to reduce the prostate cancer mortality rate in Black America,? says Thomas Farrington, PHEN president and founder.



Black men are diagnosed with prostate cancer at a rate 60% higher than white men and suffer a mortality rate that is 140% higher. This is the largest racial disparity for any type of major cancer. Even with such disparities, Black men have very low representation in clinical trials for new treatments for a disease with strong genetic links.



?I am fearful that because of our lack of participation in clinical trials we could sit out potential treatment breakthroughs that might work exceptionally well for Black men. We will work with LUGPA to overcome the distrust that exists between Black men and the medical community which is preventing our full participation in finding new treatments,? points out Farrington.



?LUGPA and its member practices are fully committed to working with PHEN and the National Council of Black Churches in support of the Father?s Day Rally, said Raoul S. Concepcion, M.D., 2011 President of the Large Urology Group Practice Association.



?The enormity of the African American prostate cancer disparity is a blight on the continued progress of prostate cancer care in the United States,? said Neal Shore, MD of LUGPA. ?We must work collaboratively to end this disparity.?



The Father?s Day Rally takes place during regular services on Father?s Day where participating churches recognize the prostate cancer survivors, their family members and loved ones within their congregations. Churches also recognize the loved ones of those who have been victims of the disease. As they join hands together, a special prayer of love and healing is offered for all. The 2011 Rally theme is "Joining Hands in Prayer and Action to Save Lives.?



The Father?s Day Rally will be held on Sunday, June 19, 2011 in churches. All churches across the country are invited to participate. Churches can register to participate on PHEN?s website.



About LUGPA (Large Urology Group Practice Association)

The Large Urology Group Practice Association (LUGPA) was officially formed in 2008 as an independent organization to facilitate management of the unique economic, administrative and political challenges facing large, integrated urologic practices and the patients they serve. LUGPA?s mission is to provide urological surgeons practicing within the context of large group practices the means to access resources, technology and management tools that will enable them to provide all services needed to care for the patients with acute and chronic illnesses of the genitourinary system in an efficient, cost effective and clinically superior manner, while using data collection to create parameters that demonstrates quality and value to patients, vendors, third party payors and regulatory agencies. Website: www.lugpa.org