By Dawn Burleigh

The Orange Leader

 

EDIT: The Gift of Life Men’s screening event has been changed from the Lamar State College of Orange due to AC issues on campus to :

 

West Orange Stark High School

1400 Newton Street

Times and Date remain the same.

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Men do not want to talk about it – Prostate Cancer.

Other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men. The American Cancer Society’s estimates for prostate cancer in the United States for 2017 are:

• About 161,360 new cases of prostate cancer
• About 26,730 deaths from prostate cancer

With approximately one man in seven are likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and it is also the third leading cause of cancer deaths in men, early detection is the key.

Survival rates are higher for men with earlier stage cancers.

Gift of Life is preregistering men for free prostate cancer tests and other important screenings. The screenings will be 9 a.m. – noon Saturday, June 10, at Lamar State College – Orange Student Center.

A range of free medical services are made available, including prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests, blood glucose and blood pressure testing, HIV and Hepatitis C screenings, Cholesterol level readings and consultations with medical professionals to discuss the significance of screening and test results.

Statistics reflect that the five-year survival rate for men whose prostate cancer is diagnosed early is nearly 100 percent.

The Gift of Life Continuum of Care ensures that clients receive support every step of the way, from diagnosis through treatment and recovery, with all costs underwritten by the Gift of Life, according to its official website.

The screenings will be provided by Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas, University of Texas Medical Branch, Legacy Community Health, Gulf Coast Health Center, Triangle Area Network, Beaumont and Port Arthur Health Department, UTMB, UT Physicians group, and Lamar University faculty and students, all of whom are vital partners in the organization’s coordinated medical continuum of care and deliverance of regional services for medically underserved men.

Some symptoms of prostate cancer are:

• Urinary problems
• Blood in the urine
• Frequent pain in the lower back, hips or upper thighs.

Since most prostate cancers grow slowly, and may not cause any health problems in men who have them, prescreening is the essential to detection.

A prostate-specific antigen test (PSA) is a simple blood test which can show an indication of prostate infection, inflammation, enlargement or cancer. If one has a positive result, further testing can be scheduled.

“We will make sure they have a follow-up appointment if needed before they leave on Saturday,” Christina Morris, BSN, RN, Program Manager for the Julie Rogers “Gift of Life” program, said.

To register for a screening, please call the 24-hour hotline at 409-860-3369.