CANTON, Ohio — Last year at this time, Mike Haynes was just another member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame making it back here for the enshrinement weekend festivities. It’s always a big deal… but Haynes had no idea that last year’s visit would be a life-altering experience.

Haynes was among those who took advantage of a free prostate cancer screening for retired players on the morning of last year’s enshrinement. And that’s how he learned he had prostate cancer.

Having been diagnosed and treated early enough, Haynes is now a prostate cancer survivor, and he has taken on the mantle of official spokesperson for the American Urological Association, speaking out for prostate cancer awareness for men across the country. Knowing that African-American men are twice as likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer, Haynes works tirelessly to spread the word -– awareness saves lives.

Haynes, who now serves as a special advisor to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, will be on hand Saturday for year two of what is officially being called the AUA Foundation’s and the NFL Player Care Foundation’s Prostate Health Research and Awareness Initiative. More than 400 retired NFL players have been screened in the past year, and Haynes has been instrumental in growing that number.

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