Yeah, What He Said

Twelve days into Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, the Kilted to Kick Cancer fundraising challenge has raised $1595.

That's pretty good, but it needs to be much larger. In coming days, it will likely grow substantially as some participants have convinced their employers to match all employee donations. This is not the time to pat ourselves on the back, this is the time to step on the gas. On the 15th, the halfway point, I'll post an updated tally and the standings for individual fundraisers. I want to see this tally doubled or more by september 30.

Happy Medic also points out that Magnum Boots has free Kilted to Kick Cancer tee shirts for anyone who donates $40 or more to the Prostate Cancer Foundation, and how to get yours.

If you've donated $40 or more through here, on one of the other blogs' unique donation links, or directly to PCF independent of this fundraising challenge, email Magnum Boots with your confirmation number and your shirt size, and get your free KTKC tee shirt.

And then wear it proudly, and spread the word.

Happy also reminds us why we're doing this:

Don’t let what we started die here and don’t give just to help a blogger win a contest.  Give because you know it’s the right thing to do.

Amen. Let's be clear here: I started this challenge and solicited the prize donations to spur wider participation, and it has done that. And the good-natured ribbing and gamesmanship between myself and a few other bloggers is great, because frankly, I'm shameless when it comes to drumming up greater interest and participation. If the prospect of me dressing up in drag, or Stingray live-blogging his own prostate exam, or Jay G. wearing a dress spurs people to donate more, then my nylons and high heels are right there in the closet next to the other things I rarely have use for – like my sense of shame.

Because in the end, the only tally that matters is the total amount of money raised.

This is not about pride or bragging rights, or a free gun. This is about people like Stingray's father, or John Richardson's father-in-law, or Former Action Guy's father, or Packetman's father, or one of thousands of men affected by this disease.

It's about Husband In Law, a guy who won't even wear shorts in public, wearing a kilt to church, Wal Mart and everywhere he goes, telling people every chance he gets about prostate cancer. The guy started his own blog specifically for the purpose of raising money and awareness for this cause, knowing he didn't stand a chance of being one of the top fundraisers. He did it because he thought it was the right thing to do.

It's about reminding men to get themselves checked. I'll be 43 years old in another month, and I've never gotten a prostate exam. That will change next month, and because of this campaign.

So spread the word, and donate, in whatever way you choose. We have a brief window to raise these funds and raise awareness, and then the moment will be lost in a flood of pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month – a disease that receives twice the research dollars as prostate cancer, despite the fact that prostate cancer affects just as many men as breast cancer affects women.

So the time to do this is now.

You know what to do.