Driven to fight cancer

With the idea that most men like cars and car shows, Debbie Baker

founded the Cruisin’ for a Cure car show six years ago as a way to

raise awareness about prostate cancer.

The Lake Forest resident’s prostate cancer mission is personal --

her husband was diagnosed with the disease and has been fighting it

for 10 years. Baker said it is her goal that no man and no family

should go through what she and her husband have endured.

The sixth annual Cruisin’ for a Cure car show is scheduled for 7

a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday at the Orange County Fairgrounds. Two

physicians and 15 phlebotomists will be on hand to perform free,

10-minute prostate cancer screenings. All the funds raised will go to

UCLA’s Jonsson Cancer Research Center.

Baker said this year’s fundraising goal is $300,000, which will be

raised through entry fees, admission fees, opportunity drawings and

donations. “PSA Beanie Bears” -- a beanie toy adorned with a blue

ribbon, designed especially for Prostate Cancer Awareness Month --

will be on sale for $10.

Baker said she started the car show because there are many

discussions about breast cancer but few about prostate cancer.

“I’m just trying to make the difference to save the guys,” Baker

said.

She was instrumental in the recent passing of a U.S. Senate

resolution that proclaimed September as National Prostate Cancer

Awareness Month.

Laguna Niguel resident Carson Lev credits Baker with saving his

life and his livelihood. Lev was diagnosed with prostate cancer after

being tested at the car show three years ago.

“I call her my guardian angel -- she really is, and I mean that in

all senses,” Lev said.

He said he had been attending the Cruisin’ for a Cure shows

because he loves cars. Every year, Baker would bug him to get tested.

“My attitude before was like every other guy -- ‘Leave me alone.

I’m young, I’m healthy, I don’t have anything to worry about,’” Lev

said.

The third year, Baker dragged him over to have his blood tested.

Sure enough, he got a note two weeks later, informing him follow-up

tests were necessary.

Baker said of 805 men tested at last year’s event, 81 came back

with results that indicated they should be tested further. Since the

event began, 187 men have been diagnosed with prostate cancer through

the testing.

As with other types of cancer, early detection is key in treating

prostate cancer, Baker said.

Lev said his doctors told him that it could have been 10 years

before he would have ever had any symptoms of the disease.

“I’m like the poster child for early detection,” Lev said. “My

wife still smiles at me when I walk down the hallway.”

He added that it’s important for healthy men in their 30s to get a

blood test to establish a baseline so they can track their

prostate-specific antigen levels, the primary indicator of the

cancer’s presence.

Lev and many other prostate cancer survivors will be at the car

show -- wearing powder blue survivor shirts -- to answer any

questions attendees may have about the disease and to share their

experiences.

The event will feature more than 3,000 classic cars, hot rods and

modern automobiles on parade and on display, and 180 vendors

displaying and selling merchandise.

IF YOU GO

* WHAT: Cruisin’ for a Cure car show and free prostate cancer

screenings

* WHEN: 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday

* WHERE: Orange County Fairgrounds, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa

* COST: $10; $8 for seniors and military; children under 12 get in

free -- all proceeds go to UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center

* INFO: (714) 803-9216 or o7www.cruisinforacure.comf7

* LINDSAY SANDHAM is the news assistant. She can be reached at

(714) 966-4625 or o7lindsay.sandham@latimes.comf7.