Proclamations Toolkit

Elected Council Members display a formal proclaimation of committment to address prostate cancer

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What is a proclamation?

A proclamation is an official designation within a city, state, or county to honor and raise awareness for a certain day or month. It brings awareness to prostate cancer by reminding communities of the burden of prostate cancer on men and their families.

Who can issue proclamations?

  • Governor
  • Mayor
  • State Legislature
  • Town Manager / Village Manager
  • City Council Members

When should I request a proclamation?

The public can request a proclamation at any point during the year. Some states, mayors, and town managers will issue a proclamation well in advance of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and some will ask you to submit a request in September. It is best to reach out early as some proclamations can take weeks to months to complete.

How do I request a proclamation?

  1. Identify what body of government you want to designate September as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.
  2. Reach out to make an official request!
    • For governors or state legislatures, many websites will have a designated proclamation section with instructions.
    • For smaller municipalities with mayors or town managers, you might need to make a phone call or write an e-mail to the office for instructions.
    • IMPORTANT: When emailing the offices, be sure to include a snippet of your personal story and connection to prostate cancer. Often times you will be communicating directly with the elected official, and he/she will want to hear from constituents about why this is so important to them.
  3. Include the text of the proclamation with your email. This will speed up the process. You can find that text below and remember to replace the information highlighted with needed information.
  4. If you have not received a response from an office for a couple of weeks, be sure to follow up!
  5. Email ZERO (advocacy@zerocancer.org) if you have any issues during the process and once it is approved, let us know where you requested the proclamation so that we can add it to the map!

What happens after a proclamation is issued?

Once you receive confirmation of the proclamation, you will receive a hard copy of the proclamation with a stamp of approval and signature. In some cases, the office will email you a version of the proclamation and then mail the hard copy in September. Be sure to email your completed proclamation to advocacy@zerocancer.org for your proclamation can be added to the PCAM Proclamations map!

What should I do after I receive a proclamation?

Notify ZERO that you were able to get a proclamation! Let us know who issued the proclamation and where. ZERO will be tracking all of the proclamations for our map!


Sample proclamation text

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
STATE OF [STATE/CITY/TOWN]

PROCLAMATION

Proclaiming the month of September 2023 as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

WHEREAS, prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer related deaths among men; and

WHEREAS, this year approximately 288,300 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in the United States alone this year and roughly 34,700 will die this year from the disease — which is one man every 15 minutes; and

WHEREAS, 1 in 8 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer. African American men are at the highest risk for the disease with a rate of 1 in 7 men. African American men are 2.1 times more likely to die from the disease; and

WHEREAS, education regarding prostate cancer and early detection strategies is critical to saving lives and preventing and protecting our families; and

WHEREAS, all men are at risk for prostate cancer, we encourage the citizens of [CITY] to increase the importance of prostate screenings.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, I [NAME], do hereby proclaim the month of September 2023 to be Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in [CITY].


Download this page as a printable Proclamations Guide

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