Pints for Prostates - Drink a Beer, Save Your Life

No man really wants to talk about it, which is how it becomes the elephant in the room. But avoiding it does no good: Prostate Cancer is one of the most common cancers among men, yet if diagnosed early on, can often be treated successfully.

The key term here is if diagnosed early on. While more than 2 million Americans count themselves as prostate cancer survivors, countless others lost their battle, often times because of a late diagnosis.

Pints for Prostates wants to change all of that. Knowing how reluctant men are to talking about this health issue, Pints for Prostates was formed to help bring awareness to this killer in a fun and natural setting - beer fests.

From struggle and survival a mission was born to save your life

In 2008, beer writer Rick Lyke found himself adding a new title to his name: prostate cancer survivor. Rather than sit quietly and move on with his life with little fanfare, Lyke wanted to celebrate his survival the best way he knew how: to raise awareness among men about the importance of regular health screenings and early detection.

But here's the thing about guys: they're neither eager nor willing to get educated on such an uncomfortable topic. So, whether he realized it or not, Lyke turned toward an age-old tactic in marketing: he took his product to the place where his target audience was. And for men, that meant beer.

Over the last 7 years, Lyke and his non-profit organization have traveled the country (and heck, all over Europe), bringing awareness to men about prostate cancer in a setting that's comfortable, natural and laid back.

Beer Fests are a great way to get the conversation started with men. Many guys over the years have come back to the folks at Pints for Prostates to tell the organization their events essentially saved their lives by encouraging them to go in for a checkup.

Why is the Pints for Prostates' mission so important?

The statistics straight from Cancer.org make it clear:

• About 220,800 new cases of prostate cancer are estimated in 2015
• This year 27,540 US men are expected to die from the disease
• About 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime
• About 1 in every 38 men will die of prostate cancer

But there are other facts important to know as well, including:

• More than 2.9 million men who were diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their life are still alive today

In other words, if you're diagnosed early enough, this condition can be treatable, and you can go on to live a normal, healthy life.

But let's face it. After reading the data, you're still not convinced that you should go to your doctor. Maybe you've never met a prostate cancer survivor, so it's still something you only hear about, but you can't relate to.

That's why Lyke brings his mission to beer fests across the country. To help you realize the reality of prostate cancer, and to remind you that the only thing scarier than getting tested for prostate cancer is not getting tested, thus never knowing ... until it's too late. 

Where can you find Pints for Prostates? Their event calendar

Pints for Prostates are busy all year long, bringing their message and mission to some of the largest beer fests in the country. The best way to keep up to date with Pints for Prostates is to follow them on Facebook, and specifically check out the Events Page on their Facebook Profile. You can also check out their mission, events, and donate to their cause by visiting them at their website.

 Upcoming Beer Fest include:

1. At Northern Lights Rare Beer Fest on March 28, in St. Paul, Minnesota
2. At Mission Valley Craft Beer & Food Festival on April 4, in San Diego, CA

If you're feeling even more adventurous, BeerTrips.com has put together a special beer tour of Belgium, Germany, and the Czech Republic to benefit Pints for Prostates. The guided beer adventure will take place from Oct. 8 - 18, 2015. Learn more about how you can join in the adventure for a good cause here: European Beer Tour.

Be sure to visit Pints for Prostates at www.pintsforprostates.org for more information, including to see how to donate, and which beer fests they're headed to next. What do you think? Would you be more likely to listen to the importance of prostate cancer screening from fellow beer drinkers at a laid back beer fest, or from some pamphlet you picked up at a doctor's office? We'd love to know.