Annual Cruisin’ for a Cure car show returns with hot rods, free prostate checks for men 40-plus

When is a car show more than just a car show? How about when it saves the lives of those who attend?

That’s a claim that can be rightfully made by organizers of annual Cruisin’ for a Cure, which will attract car buffs to the Orange County fairgrounds this Saturday, as thousands of vintage vehicles are put on dazzling display.

But beyond the chrome bumpers and fuzzy dice, beyond the live music, food and entertainment, the annual spectacle, now in its 24th year, will also be offering free prostate cancer screenings for men over 40 on a walk-in basis from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Men check out classic cars during the 2022 Cruisin’ for a Cure car show, which offers free prostate cancer screenings. The event returns to Costa Mesa’s O.C. fairgrounds on Saturday.

(File Photo)

Attendees can receive a free blood test to determine the level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) present in their body or a digital rectal exam which, without going into too much detail, can detect the size of the prostate gland and presence of growths or other abnormalities.

Cruisin’ for a Cure is the passion project of Debbie Baker, a Lake Forest resident who spent years attending car shows with husband and automobile aficionado Jim, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1996.

Baker realized that while men have a tendency to avoid regular medical checkups, they might be more amenable if the health screenings came to them.

Lake Forest resident and Cruisin’ for a Cure car show organizer Debbie Baker rides a golf cart at a recent event.

(Dave Parker Photos)

So, with the participation of KSK Cancer Center of Irvine, she set about creating one of the largest vintage car shows in Southern California as a means of attracting a demographic more predisposed to prostate problems.

To follow through on her personal mission to get more men tested, Baker typically cruises through the event on a golf cart, asking participants of a certain age whether they’ve been tested.

“I just sort of joke around with them,” she says of her low key approach to a serious topic. “Because even if you did it six months ago, your numbers could have changed and you could do this for free.”

Since its inception, healthcare workers have performed more than 15,000 free PSA screenings, flagging more than 4,000 men found with high levels of PSA in their blood, a potential sign of abnormal prostate function, including cancer.

Last year, 825 blood tests were administered during the car show. Whether a test result is normal or not, men receive notification from KSK so they can follow up with their own doctors.

Among the Cruisin’ for a Cure regulars who’ve been able to proactively treat issues before a cancer diagnosis, Baker has garnered a reputation as a bit of a guardian angel.

“When wives come up to me and say, thank you for saving my husband, I get tears in my eyes,” she said. “This is a save-your-life car show.”

Cruisin’ for a Cure takes place Saturday at the Orange County fairgrounds, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, from 6 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Admission costs $17 and parking is $12. Children 12 and under are free. For more, visit cruisinforacure.com.