Several years ago we worked with members of Congress to promote a Congressional Men’s Health Caucus and we were successful. The Caucus has been active through the years on various health issues affecting men and boys.

The current leaders are Reps. Runyan and Shuler.

Now, we are ready for the next step, the Congressional Men’s Health Caucus, working with other concerned members, has created a Prostate Cancer Task Force within the Caucus that is co-chaired by Reps. Runyan and Baca.

Dear Colleague letters have gone out to other members of congress asking them to join the Caucus and the Task Force. A copy of one of those letters is below.

We see this as a possible vehicle for coordinated bi-partisan Congressional action in our fight against prostate cancer.

Please ask your Congressional contacts to join this effort. The more support the Caucus and the Task Force has from Congress the more of our goals become obtainable.
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Join the Men’s Health Caucus and the Newly Created Prostate Cancer Task Force Today!

Dear Colleague:

The Congressional Men’s Health Caucus would like to announce its newly created Prostate Cancer Task Force. Co-chaired by Representative Runyan and Representative Baca, the Task Force will increase awareness of Prostate Cancer, which is the deadliest form of cancer for men over the age of 75. The Task Force will also provide information about the many issues affecting men who are suffering with Prostate Cancer. Additionally, the Task Force seeks to better highlight the three at-risk groups for Prostate Cancer: African Americans, Veterans exposed to Agent Orange, and individuals with a family history.

As you may know, there is an increasing and predominantly silent crisis in the health and well-being of men today. Due to a lack of awareness, poor health education, and culturally induced behavioral patterns in their work and personal lives, men’s health is deteriorating steadily. American men are much less likely to have annual medical examinations or engage in preventative health services, and on average live less healthy lives and die younger than American women. Men are currently dying at a higher percentage than women from each of the top ten causes of death, and are victims of over ninety-two percent of workplace deaths.

In response, the Congressional Men’s Health Caucus and Prostate Cancer Task Force were created. The primary purpose of the bipartisan Men’s Health Caucus and Prostate Cancer Task Force is to raise awareness of health issues that affect men, boys, and their families. Membership in the Caucus will provide you with a platform to promote relevant Men’s health and wellness issues that your office is pursuing in your home district. It will also sponsor educational briefings to help Members and staff better understand these complex and diverse issues. Finally, the Caucus will focus on promoting legislation that will improve the health of men and their loved ones.

We invite you to join the Congressional Men’s Health Caucus and Prostate Cancer Task Force, and hope that you will help us support the health and well-being of our Nation’s men. This is an important and worthwhile effort, and an area of health that needs greater awareness. Thank you for your consideration and support, and we look forward to having you join our team.

To join the Congressional Men’s Health Caucus, please have your staff contact Kara Webster in Rep. Jon Runyan’s office at 5-4765 or at kara.webster@mail.house.gov, or Erin Georges in Rep. Shuler’s office at 5-6401 or erin.georges@mail.house.gov.

Jon Runyan Heath Shuler
Member of Congress Member of Congress

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Joel T. Nowak, M.A., M.S.W.