The Henry and Stark County Health Departments and their First Choice Healthcare Clinics announce that September has been designated National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

Although its mortality rate has steadily fallen in the last decade, prostate cancer is still the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men in the United States. In 2023, the American Cancer Society estimates there will be about 288,300 new cases and about 34, 700 deaths from prostate cancer.
National Prostate Cancer Awareness month gives us the opportunity to renew our commitment to fight this disease by finding better ways to prevent, detect, and treat it.
Today, 1 in 6 men will get prostate cancer during his lifetime, but only 1 man in 34 will die of the disease. More than 2 million men in the United States who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point are still alive today. When detected during these earliest stages the 5 year survival rate is close to 100%.
The exact causes of prostate cancer are not known, but awareness can help men make more informed choices about their health. Researchers have identified several factors that may increase a man's risk of developing prostate cancer including age, race, and family history.
This designation is another opportunity to emphasize the importance of prostate screening and testing. The Department and their First Choice Healthcare Clinics remind area residents, in honor of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, they have PSA blood screening is available to area men through their locations in Kewanee and Colona.
The PSA blood screening is open to all men ages 50-64; or any men younger who have a first degree family member (father/brother/son) who has been diagnosed with Prostate Cancer. Males under 50 years of age will need a physician’s order for the screening. No fasting is necessary for this screening. Appointments for the blood draws may be made by calling the First Choice Healthcare Clinics at 852-5272 (Kewanee) or (309) 792-4011 (Colona).
For more information on the First Choice Healthcare Clinic’s men's health services visit our website at www.henrystarkhealth.com or find us on Facebook at Henry and Stark County Health Departments, First Choice Healthcare, or Follow Us on Twitter and Instagram.