The sixth annual Blue Jacket Fashion Show in support of prostate cancer awareness will take place live on Thursday, February 17^th, at Moonlight Studios in New York City. Sponsored by Janssen Oncology, part of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, the show benefits nonprofit advocacy group ZERO – The End of Prostate Cancer and its efforts to raise awareness and funding to support prostate cancer patients and to improve early detection and reduce mortality. Among those scheduled to rock the runway are Al Roker, Mario Cantone, Don Lemon, and Wilson Cruz in designs from Thom Browne, Michael Kors, Ben Sherman, Levi’s, Carlos Campos, and Tommy Hilfiger among others.

The Blue Jacket Fashion Show, founded by fashion designer Frederick Anderson and marketer, Laura Miller, unites the worlds of fashion, entertainment, sports, healthcare, and media to openly discuss prostate cancer, with an emphasis on racial disparities and underserved communities. The 2022 Blue Jacket Fashion Show will be available to stream live on the website for ZERO – The End of Prostate Cancer.

Mario Cantone walks the runway during The Blue Jacket Fashion Show

This year’s event is more important than ever. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in fewer routine health care screenings, leading to a 29% decline in prostate cancer screenings and a 23% decline in prostate cancer diagnoses compared to before the pandemic, research has shown. This trend suggests that many men will be diagnosed with more advanced disease unless action is taken quickly.

Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in American men, behind lung cancer. In 2022, an estimated 268,490 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. and 34,500 men will die from the disease, according to the recently released American Cancer Society Cancer Facts & Figures 2022. Furthermore, Black men in the U.S. remain 2.2 times more likely to die of prostate cancer compared to white men and have the highest documented prostate cancer incidence rates in the world. ⁱⁱⁱ

ZERO – The End of Prostate Cancer is committed to ending racial and health disparities in prostate cancer experienced by Black men. Its Prostate Cancer Racial Disparities Task Force helps bring awareness of prostate cancer to high-risk men, with a focus on education and early detection, clinical trial advocacy, and financial assistance and patient support.

“Black men have a higher prostate cancer incidence and mortality compared to other racial/ethnic groups. The sorting of money, knowledge, power, and social connections by race contribute to sustaining these differences and influence how we navigate cancer care,” said Reggie Tucker-Seeley, ZERO’s Vice President of Health Equity. “We must decide that these differences are no longer tolerable or acceptable and commit to eliminating racial/ethnic disparities in prostate cancer.”

“Janssen Oncology is deeply committed to addressing health inequalities and we’re exceptionally proud to sponsor an event that creates urgency and inspires action to address   the disproportionate impact of prostate cancer on the Black community,” said Rodney Gillespie, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Janssen Oncology. “The Blue Jacket Fashion Show is a truly unique way to deliver a life-saving message: Get screened for prostate cancer.”

The latest guidelines from the American Cancer Society Cancer Facts & Figures 2022 indicate that Black men and those with a close relative diagnosed with prostate cancer before the age of 65 should discuss prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening with a healthcare provider beginning at age 45, and men at even higher risk (those who have several close relatives diagnosed at an early age and those who are BRCA mutation carriers) should have this discussion beginning at age 40.

Event participants will include Al Roker, Mario Cantone, Don Lemon, Wilson Cruz, Dale Moss, Amir Arison, Mickey Boardman, Dante Bowe, Frank DiLella, David East, Jay Jay French, Dominic Fumusa, Carlos Greer, Omar Hernandez, Musa Jackson, Khalil Kain, Alex Lundqvist, Eric West and others. Stylist /Designers such as Arjona Collection; Thom Browne; Michael Kors; Ben Sherman; Levi’s; Men’s Wearhouse; Stephen F; Bruno Magali; Carlos Campos; and Tommy Hilfiger will reimagine the traditional “blue jacket” that the models will wear down the runway.

Visit ZERO – The End of Prostate Cancer to learn more about – and donate to – the Black Men’s Prostate Cancer Initiative, which provides direct aid to Black and brown communities who at highest risk of prostate cancer and are experiencing additional financial and mental distress due to COVID-19. Janssen Oncology will match donations made to ZERO – The End of Prostate Cancer between February 10^TH  through March 3^RD, 2022 , up to $10,000.