Ciccarelli to kayak 1,700 miles for prostate cancer awareness

On Saturday, June 14, in Chicago, Skip Ciccarelli pointed his kayak toward Lake Michigan and made the first paddles on his planned 54-day, 1,700-mile trip from the heartland to the Hudson River in New York City. Ciccarelli, a 60-year-old high school teacher from Massachusetts, is a prostate cancer survivor since 2002. He is using the trip to raise awareness of prostate cancer. "At the time I realized, that like most men, I was clueless about prostate cancer and soon became flummoxed at how little men know about their own bodies," Ciccarelli said. "I realize I need to use my own abilities to help raise awareness. By drawing attention to prostate cancer, I'm hoping more men will get prostate check ups, PSA screenings and that more research will focus on this disease." More information on Ciccarelli's journey can be found at www.paddle4prostate.org. Any funds raised over and above Ciccarelli's expenses will be split between two prostate cancer organizations: Us TOO International and the Prostate Cancer Foundation.