Are You a Veteran Who Needs Support?
ZERO has a wide array of services that men can use to get support in their prostate cancer journey:
- ZERO360 is a free, comprehensive patient support service to help patients and their families. Through ZERO360, our team of experienced case managers will help you navigate your prostate cancer journey by helping you with insurance coverage, finding sources of financial aid, and resolving billing issues.
- The ZERO MENtor Program provides peer-to-peer support for men living with prostate cancer. Prostate cancer can be an overwhelming experience, so we will match you with our MENtors, who are all current prostate cancer patients and survivors and eager to help you through your prostate cancer journey. As a Veteran, we will match you with a Veteran MENtor with a similar background, someone who is best-positioned to understand your experience.
- Us TOO Support Groups provide people impacted by prostate cancer an opportunity to be with others who may have similar experiences and concerns. Joining a local support group can help men and their families cope with the challenges prostate cancer brings.
Be sure to download Prostate Cancer 101 – Veterans Edition to learn more about prostate cancer and the VA Health System.
Learn More:
What Veterans Need to Know About Prostate Cancer and How to Get Care in Their Community
Veterans are a high-risk population for prostate cancer, with an incidence rate that is twice that of the general population. It is critical that we protect our protectors. Watch this educational webinar and hear from a physician, VA representative, and an elected official about what you should know about your risk for this disease, and how to access prostate cancer screening and treatment within the Veterans Health Administration or through the Community Care Network.
Veterans are a high-risk population for prostate cancer, with an incidence rate that is twice that of the general population. ZERO is committed to bring the Veteran community the resources, tools, and education needed to fight and prevent the disease. Click here to explore existing resources.
An Urgent Need
There are some alarming numbers related to Veterans and prostate cancer that require immediate action as well as long-term planning to ensure that Veterans get the support they need.
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- Nearly 489,000 prostate cancer patients are in the VA health system. 16,000 of these patients have metastatic prostate cancer.
- 9 million Veterans receive healthcare from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).
- Prostate cancer rates in the military were twice those in the general population.
- Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis among U.S. Veterans.
- The burden of prostate cancer among Veterans is substantial with over 200,000 survivors and 12,000 new diagnoses annually.
- 1 in 8 American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. For Veterans, that risk increases to 1 in 5.
Download an infographic to share this alarming data with others.
What ZERO is Doing to Solve This Crisis
To help raise awareness around the correlation between military service and prostate cancer, and to help bring resources to Vets actively fighting prostate cancer, ZERO has been on the front lines pushing for policies and initiatives that would positively impact the Veteran community, such as the Veterans’ Prostate Cancer Treatment and Research Act. Have an idea for an initiative you’d like to see? Email Ali Manson, VP of Government Relations and Advocacy, at ali@zerocancer.org.
The ZERO Prostate Cancer Veterans Initiative has three key goals:
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- Create a standardized clinical pathway for prostate cancer care within the VHA System
- Provide prostate cancer educational materials and research support for Veterans, physicians, and active-duty military
- Support the care and funding of Veterans through legislative efforts
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On the Legislative Front
Hundreds of advocates from around the country have added their name to our petition to pass the Veterans Prostate Cancer Treatment and Research Act, which would standardize care for prostate cancer within the Veterans Health Administration. Click here if you would like to add your name too.
Supporting The Mission Act
The Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) launched the Mission Act in an attempt to offer Veterans a broader network of medical care outside the VA. With an estimated 500,000 Veterans in the VA system with prostate cancer, it’s critical for patients to have access to options to receive treatment and care closer to home. Patients and Providers can utilize the below resources about how to access care via the Mission Act:
Patients
- You can learn more about the VA’s Mission Act by downloading this PDF for patients, which allows eligible Veterans to find c community provider in VA’s network, make an appointment, and get timely, high-quality care.
Providers
- You can learn more about the VA’s Mission Act by downloading this PDF for physicians.
More Resources
Visit this page for information on the link between Veterans and Prostate Cancer, or to learn about ZERO’s patient programs and resources. 
Request a virtual prostate cancer awareness toolkit here, or download and share this infographic.
Sign up for advocacy alerts so you can be informed of the latest updates and breakthroughs on Capitol Hill. Learn more about the ZERO Prostate Cancer Summit or sign up for a Virtual Run/Walk to connect with other Veterans.
Make a one-time donation or consider becoming a partner with ZERO by setting up a recurring donation.
Thanks to the following sponsors who believe in this important effort:
