(Bethesda, MD, Monday, May 2, 2022) –  Bladder Cancer is the sixth-most diagnosed cancer in America.

The Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN) is raising awareness through a series of walks in 15 cities and virtually on Saturday, May 7, 2022. Bladder cancer patients, advocates, caregivers, survivors, and those who love them will participate in a Walk to End Bladder Cancer throughout the spring. Each May, Bladder Cancer Awareness Month is a time for those in the bladder cancer community to join together to increase awareness of the disease and raise much-needed funds for bladder cancer research as well as patient education and support. It’s also a time for patients, caregivers and loved ones to share their stories and honor those who have been impacted by this terrible disease.

BCAN is a community of patients, caregivers, survivors, advocates, medical, and research professionals united in support of people impacted by bladder cancer. They provide bladder cancer patients and caregivers with the resources and support that they need to help cope with the disease.

Bladder cancer is among the most diagnosed cancers in America. Each year, more than 81,000 people are diagnosed with the disease and 17,000 will not survive it. The National Cancer Institute estimates that there are more than 720,000 people living with bladder cancer in the United States.  The number of Americans living with bladder cancer is already larger than the entire populations of Wyoming and Vermont.

The Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network’s (BCAN’s) mission is to increase public awareness about bladder cancer, advance bladder cancer research and, provide educational and support services for the bladder cancer community. Diane Zipursky Quale and her late husband, John, co-founded BCAN in 2005 to help support patients and address the lack of awareness of the disease in the United States.  John Quale died from bladder cancer in June of 2008.