- Cruisin for a Cure returns September 26
- Registration is now open for prostate cancer screenings
- Car show, games, food, entertainment are highlights of the family-friendly event
Richard Davis has been behind the steering wheel for Men Allied for the Need to Understand Prostate Cancer – MANUP – for several years now, fueled by a determination to help as many men get screened for cancer as possible.
He first got involved in the organization – officially MANUP Buffalo – when working as a wellness coordinator in a previous job. Davis was looking to provide health-related content for a lunch-and-learn session and, through a contact at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, began laying the groundwork that would become foundational to the annual Cruisin’ for a Cure Buffalo-Niagara event.
Using a car show, scheduled this year for Saturday, September 26 from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., on the Roswell Park campus in downtown Buffalo, as an entry point for men to get screened is a way to get the whole family involved and out for a fun day together.
“Cruisin’ for a Cure is our flagship event,” Davis says. “We want to get as many people screened at the event as possible.”
A simple test can save lives
Men ages 45 through 75, or starting at age 40 for those with a family history of cancer, can register in advance for the screening, which includes a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, in the form of a blood draw, conducted by Roswell Park phlebotomists inside the Scott Bieler Clinical Sciences Center. The PSA test is followed by a digital rectal exam (DRE) provided by experts from Roswell Park’s urology team.
“Prostate cancer awareness is a very important topic that we should discuss more,” Davis says. “Screening is so important because it helps you establish baselines and helps you track your health over time. If you have a primary doctor, they can monitor your PSA test every year and tell you if things have progressed.”
The mission of MANUP Buffalo has never changed: To spread awareness about the importance of prostate cancer screening for men, particularly Black men and those with a family history of prostate cancer, and to encourage them to get tested every year.
Davis also acknowledges that women are a key component of a successful event. “We target women specifically because the women are the ones who get the guys to come in a lot of times. Over the years, I’ve seen so many women with men on their arms, not dragging, but leading them inside,” he says. “They’re the catalyst to get them to take it seriously. When we do public engagement, we point out how much women go through on a yearly basis for their screenings and how minimal our (prostate screening) is by comparison, even if it’s uncomfortable – hence our name, MANUP.”
Cruisin' for a Cure 2026
The car show that saves lives! Join us for a prostate cancer education and screening clinic at Cruisin' for a Cure, Saturday, September 26, 2026.
A family friendly event
This year’s event, like those before it, will feature classic and modern cars, brought by several clubs including the Southern Tier Auto Buffs, the Old Cranks, the Drifters, East Side Classics, the OG Cruisers from Niagara Falls and Rockhard Corvette from Rochester. More than 20 awards will be given out for individual cars, motorcycles and trucks and clubs as part of the car show. There will be food trucks and entertainment in addition to a meet and greet opportunity with Hall of Famer and Buffalo football legend Thurman Thomas.
Davis is hoping to draw a big crowd this year for a day of cool cars and improving men’s health. “If you’ve never been to the event before, please come and check it out. If you’ve been before, we’d love to have you back. It’s a car show to save lives. We do our best to provide entertainment around such a serious topic. If you know of someone who could be in need of the screening, if you like cars, if you just want to come out and check out the campus at Roswell Park, please come and join us.”
