LOS ANGELES, April 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) today announced 11 PCF-Pfizer Global Health Equity Challenge Awards. A collaboration between PCF and Pfizer Global Medical Grants, the awards totaling $1.47 million are granted to teams at some of the world’s leading cancer research institutions to support prostate cancer research projects that will improve the understanding of, or reduce disparities in the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of patients in minority and underserved communities.  The 11 award winners represent eight countries including Hong Kong, Ghana, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, the United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda and the United States and were selected by an esteemed, independent panel of experts assembled by PCF.

Globally, prostate cancer is the second most common form of cancer diagnosed among men, with over 1.4 million cases diagnosed worldwide. In the United States alone, Black men are about 75 percent more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and over two times more likely to die from it; in the U.S. Latino community, prostate cancer is the most diagnosed cancer among men. The 11 projects selected from across the globe in the 2021 PCF-Pfizer Global Health Equity Challenge Awards will focus specifically on research to identify barriers in the delivery of equitable health care and health services research programs to study and optimize care delivery.

“The Prostate Cancer Foundation has been funding research to understand and address this disparity for more than 25 years,” said Howard R. Soule, PhD, Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer, PCF. “We are honored to partner with Pfizer in this endeavor and congratulate the investigators on their research which we believe has the potential to reduce disparities in prostate cancer.”

“At Pfizer, we are committed to reducing healthcare disparities by working with partners who share our vision of health equity and quality care for all,” said Dany Habr, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Pfizer Oncology. “Pfizer and The Prostate Cancer Foundation are steadfast in our support of these investigators and their work to address these critical areas of improvement for the prostate cancer community.”

The teams awarded 2021 PCF-Pfizer Health Equity Challenge Awards are:

Principal Investigators:  Theodore DeWeese, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Sara Alcorn, MD, MPH, PhD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Co-Investigators: Anna LaVigne, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Jean Wright, MD Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Todd Adams, MD, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine;  Michael Van Wert, MSW, MPH, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Project Title: Radiotherapy Deserts in Prostate Cancer: Identifying Regions of Mismatched Resources and Need through Characterization of the Impact of Race, Poverty and the Rural-Urban Continuum on Radiation Resource Density and Utilization in the United States

Principal Investigator:  Christina Dieli-Conwright, PhD, MPH, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Co-Investigators:   Paul Nguyen, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Tim Rebbeck, PhD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Hajime Uno, PhD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Dong-Woo Kang, PhD; Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Project Title: Exercise to Enhance Cardiovascular Health Among Black Prostate Cancer Patients with Androgen Deprivation Therapy: The POWER Trial

Principal Investigators:  Veda Giri, MD, Thomas Jefferson University; Amy Leader, DrPH, MPH, Thomas Jefferson University
Co-Investigators:  Mary-Ellen Taplin, MD; Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Brandon Mahal, MD, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine-Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center; Jessica Russo,  LCGC, Thomas Jefferson University
Project Title: Extending Prostate Genetic Awareness, Navigation, and Delivery: The EXPAND Network

Principal Investigator:  Lindsey Herrel, MD, MS, University of Michigan
Co-Investigators: Avinash Maganty, MD, University of Michigan; Brent Hollenbeck, MD, MS, University of Michigan; Vahakn Shahinian, MD, University of Michigan
Project Title: Understanding the Impact of Dual Eligibility on Treatment of Localized Prostate Cancer

Principal Investigators: Patrick Maison, MBChB, Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Ghana; Evelyn Jaige, MD, PhD, Henry Ford Health System
Co-Investigators: George Amoah, MBChB, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Ghana; Sylvester Antwi, MD, Henry Ford Health System; Janet Acquaye, MS, Precision Medicine for Aggressive Breast Cancers; Doreen Dankerlui, MS, Henry Ford Health System; Livingstone Aduse-Poku, MS, Precision Medicine for Aggressive Breast Cancer
Project Title: Integrating Orthodox and Traditional Prostate Cancer Care and Treatment in Ghana

Principal Investigator: Blandina Mmbaga, MD, MMed, PhD, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, United Republic of Tanzania
Co-Investigators: Kien Mteta, MD, MMed, MSc, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College; Alex Mremi, MMed, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre; Orgeness Mbwambo, MMed, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre; Bartholomeo Ngowi, MD, MMed, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center
Project Title: Correlation Between Prostate Cancer and PSA, Community Awareness and Barriers Associated with Screening Among Men in Northern Tanzania

Principal Investigator: Murallitharan Munisamy, MD, PhD, National Cancer Society Malaysia, Malaysia
Project Title: GPS-P: Guided Patient Support Navigation Programme for Men with Prostate Cancer

Principal Investigator: Pius Musau, MBChB, MMed, MSc, PhD, Moi University, Eldoret-Kenya                   
Co-Investigators:   Edward  Mugalo, MBChB, MMed, Moi University, Eldoret-Kenya; Walter Akello, BSc, MBChB, MMed, Egerton University, Njoro, Kenya; Dennis Rono, MBChB, MSc, MMed, Egerton University, Njoro-Kenya; Kibet Keitany, MBChB, MMed, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret-Kenya; Samson Boyo, BBM, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret-Kenya
Project Title: Prostate Cancer Care in Western Kenya: The Determination of Barriers to Care, Establishment and Interrogation of Rapid Access Satellite Clinics and Evaluation of Instituted Measures for Improved Outcomes

Principal Investigators: Jackson Orem, Uganda Cancer Institute, Uganda ; Lyn Atuyambe, PhD, MPH, Makerere University
Co-Investigators: Annabella Habinka Ejiri, PhD, MS, King Ceasor University; Alfred Jatho Lubega, PhD, MPH, Uganda Cancer Institute; Babra Nalwadda, DPH, King Ceasor University; Alphonsina Mujiwimana, MBChB, King Ceasor University; Sibointore Jack, MPH, Uganda Prisons; Justine Ariko, MSc, Uganda Prisons; Kajooba Fred, MBChB, Uganda Prisons
Project Title: Understanding Barriers to and Facilitators of Prostate Cancer Screening Among Men in Uganda Prisons so as to Design and Implement Interventions to Increase Prostate Cancer Screening Uptake in Prison Settings

Principal Investigator:  Marques Shek Nam Ng, RN, PhD, The Chinese University of Hong Kong 
Co-Investigators:  Ka Ming Chow, RN, RM, DN, FHKAN, The Chinese University of Hong Kong; Kai Chow Choi, PhD, The Chinese University of Hong Kong; Kath Schubach, RN, BSc, MN, Men’s Health Melbourne; Carmen Wing Han Chan, RN, PhD, FAAN, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Project Title: Health Inequity in Sexual Health Services Among Chinese Men with Prostate Cancer in the Public Hospital Setting

Principal Investigator: Musliu Tolani, MBBS, PGcertPH FWACS, FMCS, Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria
Co-Investigators:  Ahmed Muhammed, MBBS, FMCS, Ahmadu Bello University; Agbo Christian Agbo, MBBS, FMCS, Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital; Rufus Wale Ojewola, MBChB, FWACS, FMCS, MPH, University of Lagos; Ernie Kaninjing, DrPH, MPH, MBA, CHES, Georgia College & State University; Rebecca DeBoer, MD, MA, University of California, San Francisco
Project Title: Utilization of an Implementation Science Approach to Develop and Evaluate a Systems Strengthening Intervention for Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer Management in a Low Middle Income Country in Sub-Saharan Africa

ABOUT PCF
The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world’s leading philanthropic organization dedicated to funding life-saving prostate cancer research. Founded in 1993 by Mike Milken, PCF has been responsible for raising close to $1 billion in support of cutting-edge research by more than 2,200 research projects at 245 leading cancer centers in 28 countries around the world. Since PCF’s inception, and through its efforts, patients around the world are living longer, suffering fewer complications, and enjoying better quality of life. PCF is committed to creating a global public square for prostate cancer, in service to our mission of ending death and suffering from the disease. Learn more at pcf.org.

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SOURCE Prostate Cancer Foundation