Peter Criss leads celebs in fight against cancer
By Chris Jordan / Ashbury Park Press
They raised money all night so cancer patients can party every day.
Peter Criss, a founding member of Kiss, and other celebs came to town to fight cancer in the Beauty Foundation for Cancer Care's 9th annual Beauty Ball, held Saturday, March 14 at the Robert J. Collins Arena on the campus of Brookdale Community College in Lincroft.
Criss, a male breast cancer survivor, presented the Peter Criss Man of Courage Award to Connor Phelps, a 21-year-old Arizona college student who is currently battling Leukemia.
"I try to get the awareness to men that we get it," Criss said. "Men don't know. What annoys me is that it's called breast cancer. Bingo, right off the bat, it's breast cancer. Why isn't it called pec cancer?"
Criss was diagnosed in 2007. He's since become an advocate to raise awareness about the disease.
"Every year I meet 20 18-year-old boys (who have breast cancer) and they don't know what to do," said Criss, who lives in Wall. "They're embarrassed. It's a chick's disease. Only girls get it."
"My battle is I just want guys to know they can get it, and if they can detect it immediately (they can be cured,)'' Criss said. Early detection "saved my life and I've now become very involved. These lovely girls (of the Beauty Foundation) invite me every year to give out the Peter Criss Man of Courage Award and it's a legacy. I started Kiss, but this is really cool; this is important."
