'Pints For Prostates' Encourages Testing At Great American Beer Fest

By Jeff Todd

DENVER (CBS4)- There are hundreds of events around Great American Beer Fest but arguably none more important than Pints for Prostates.

"We try and go to beer festivals and other events to encourage guys to take charge of their health," said Rick Lyke who founded Pints for Prostates. "Our message is to get tested, live longer, drink more beer."

For Lyke, it is a personal journey. A friend and co-worker was battling prostate cancer and encouraged him to be screened a decade ago.

"He later passed away from it. So, I went into my doctor, got a blood test and low and behold I had prostate cancer," said Lyke. "Early detection, I was able to have surgery, I didn't have to have any radiation, no chemo."

Lyke had a passion for beer before his diagnosis and decided it was the perfect format to help other man find the cancer early. Pints for Prostates actually sets up stations and brings in a staff of volunteers to draw blood to be tested.

"They're willing but you have to encourage them. The idea is, they're there, it's a social setting if we can get one of them to go up and get their blood drawn, all of the sudden you saw it, it's a progression of guys," Lyke said.

"I had a guy, come up to me, shake my hand, and tell me that two years ago he had been screened at one of our events and he had prostate cancer and he's been successfully treated. Lyke said. "Somebody helped me 10 years ago and so that's what we're trying to do, we're trying to help other guys."

Before Great American Beer Fest wraps up Pints for Prostates has one more event on Friday.

LINK: Pints for Prostates

Jeff Todd joined the CBS4 team in 2011 covering the Western Slope in the Mountain Newsroom. Since 2015 he's been working across the Front Range in the Denver Headquarters. Follow him on Twitter @CBS4Jeff.