CONTRIBUTED BY UROLOGY HEALTH FOUNDATION
CAMP HILL —
On Saturday, Aug. 27, the Urology Health Foundation will hold a free prostate cancer screening for men 40 years of age and older from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Mt. Lovely Missionary Church located at 21900 Sen. Claude Pepper Drive in Camp Hill, Alabama. Face masks will be required. Only a PSA blood test will be performed. No appointments are needed.
The Live HealthSmart Alabama Mobile Wellness team will also be at this health event, offering other important health screenings for men and women — also at no cost — including screenings for height, weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. After these 15-minute Live HealthSmart Alabama screenings, participants will learn their results and will be able to speak with a health care professional about other health risks they may experience.
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men. Age and race are the strongest risk factors for prostate cancer. African American men are at special risk for the disease, with the highest risk of prostate cancer of any ethnic group in the world. A man’s risk of prostate cancer also increases if he has a close relative with the disease. It is now more important than ever for those at highest risk of developing prostate cancer to be screened if they have delayed being screened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Dr. Thomas Moody, president of the Urology Health Foundation, there are no noticeable symptoms of prostate cancer while it is still in the early stages. If, however, a man with prostate cancer waits to act until he has symptoms, the cancer may already have grown outside the prostate and progressed to the point where it is rarely curable. Moody stresses that regular screening offers the best way to maximize a man’s chances of discovering the cancer while it is still in its early — and most curable — stages.
Screening for prostate cancer involves a simple blood test called a PSA that measures the level of protein called prostate-specific antigen in the blood.
Normally PSA is found in the blood at very low levels. Elevated PSA readings can be a sign of prostate cancer.
Early detection and treatment are key factors in addressing any health concerns. That is why on Saturday, Aug. 27, everyone is encouraged to come to the Mt. Lovely Missionary Church to be screened.
For more information about these free screenings, please contact Sherry Wilson at 205-960-8438.