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IT TAKES MORE THAN AN APPLE A DAY

Prostate Cancer Awareness Week, third week in September, raises awareness about prostate cancer and related health concerns

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men with more than 230,000 men diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2014. Yet, prostate cancer is nearly 100 percent survivable if caught in its earliest stages.

"Men should absolutely make it a priority to get screened," said Dr. E. David Crawford, Head of the Urologic Oncology Department at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and Chairman and Founder of the Prostate Council Education Council (PCEC). "If you are African American you are twice as likely to get prostate cancer, and twice as likely to die from it. If you have a family history of prostate cancer you are also at higher risk. Men age 40 and over should be screened annually, age 35 and over if at high risk." A screening takes about 10 minutes and includes a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test and a Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) done by a trained professional.

Since the inception of Prostate Cancer Awareness Week (PCAW) in 1989, millions of men have received potentially life-saving screenings. PCAW encourages not only yearly screenings, but also overall health awareness to lessen the risk of prostate cancer. IThis year our companion web site, www.menstuff.org, will bring additional attention to the prevention and treatment of prostate cancer by dedicating six days of the week to a specific issues of men's health directly related to prostate cancer. The six days are:

Sunday, September 20 - Night vigil for men who have died or are suffering from prostate cancer
Monday, September 21 - Background, Information
Tuesday, September 22 - Prostate cancer prevention
Wednesday, September 23 - Symptoms and common prostate problems
Thursday, September 24 - Treatment and after/side effects of various prostate problems
Friday, September 25 - Living Life After Treatment
Saturday, September 26 - Those who have passed on

Year round, the National Men's Resource Center strives to fulfill its mission of educating men and the women in their lives about the prevalence of prostate cancer, the importance of early detection and the available treatment options. For more information visit www.pcaw.org