Prostate Cancer Awareness Month | |
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Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, which takes place annually in September, serves as a dedicated and impactful campaign aimed at increasing awareness and knowledge about prostate cancer.
This month-long observance not only educates individuals about the risks, symptoms, and prevention strategies associated with prostate cancer but also emphasizes the importance of early detection and regular screenings.
Through various initiatives, events, and information-sharing efforts, Prostate Cancer Awareness Month seeks to empower men and their loved ones with the information they need to make informed decisions about their health and well-being, ultimately striving to reduce the impact of this prevalent cancer.
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Michael E. Karell, MD, FACS, in honor of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month | |
Prostate screening is a critical part of early diagnosis. How would you encourage a man reading this to see his doctor to begin prostate screenings?
"The decision to screen for prostate cancer is highly individualized, considering each man’s personal risk, race, as well as other potential health conditions. The PSA blood test along with a digital rectal exam are the usual starting points to evaluate a man’s risk of prostate cancer..."
-Yale School of Medicine
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Dear Reader,
Today is the last day of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month of September 2023, ending 30 days of raising awareness, learning more about prostate cancer, and hearing survivors' stories from men.
As a Prostate cancer survivor, I want to encourage appropriate screening for prostate health because early detection saves lives. Men don't have to die or suffer from Prostate Cancer if detected and treated early. I hope the time set aside this year has raised your knowledge and understanding of this disease, will help better fight to save men's lives, and will give you more tools to carry you throughout the year until next September when health care will be more advanced and more testimonies of survival and fewer deaths from preventable Prostate Cancer.
It is crucial to spread awareness that we have learned this month with our family and friends about the importance of regular screenings of prostate health and the benefits of early detection. Let us continue to support research and advancements in prostate cancer treatment so that future generations can benefit from improved healthcare options. Together, we can make a difference and ensure that more men have the opportunity to live long and healthy lives. My condolences to all those families that have lost loved ones to prostate cancer.
It is important to remember that even though Prostate Cancer Awareness Month is ending, the fight against this disease continues every day. By staying informed and encouraging others to prioritize their prostate health, we can help prevent unnecessary suffering and loss. Let us also not forget the significant role that support networks and organizations play in providing resources and assistance to those affected by prostate cancer. Together, we can create a world where prostate cancer is no longer a leading cause of death among men. By staying informed, maintaining regular screenings, and supporting research and advancements, we can make a difference in preventing unnecessary suffering and loss.
Condolences to all those who have lost loved ones to prostate cancer. It is crucial to remember their experiences and continue working towards a future where fewer lives are affected by this disease. Support networks and organizations play a significant role in providing resources and assistance to those affected by prostate cancer. It's important to acknowledge and continue supporting these initiatives that contribute to improved healthcare options and better outcomes for individuals and their families.
Again, Thank you for your dedication to raising awareness and making a difference. Together, we can create a world where prostate cancer no longer significantly threatens men's lives.
La Shawn K. Ford
Pushing to get to Zero
IL. State Representative - Eighth District
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In your opinion, is there enough awareness and education about prostate cancer? | |
Click Video Below to Learn More About Prostate Cancer Awareness Month | |
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Elected in 2007 to the Illinois House of Representatives representing the 8th District, Rep. La Shawn K. Ford is an outspoken advocate for his constituents. Rep. Ford is focused on social justice and disparities in employment, education, and the healthcare system. He has also worked to increase opportunities for ex-offenders, foster small business development, improve access to affordable housing, expand protections for our veterans, safeguard our environment and address our state’s fiscal health.
Rep. Ford is a firm believer in the power of responsible parenting and established the Council on Responsible Fatherhood, which aims to support fathers and help them to become more responsible and present. He consistently advocates for increased access to financial resources and institutions for marginalized communities and promotes the value of education among students in his district.
| Click Image Below to Learn More | |
Rep. La Shawn K. Ford
2022 ZERO Health Equity Advocacy Award
| Prostate Cancer Survivor Rep. La Shawn Ford Shares His Story to Encourage Screenings | |
CHICAGO (WLS) -- State Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, hopes his own health scare will help save lives. He's encouraging men to get screened for prostate cancer after he was diagnosed with the illness last year.
Cancer-free and ready to talk about it, Ford was surrounded by his doctors and Gov. JB Pritzker at Northwestern Medicine Thursday to share his very personal story after being diagnosed with prostate cancer in October 2020.
"I requested a PSA test exam, and the numbers came back abnormal," Ford said.
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Northwestern Medicine
A State Representative’s Recovery From Prostate Cancer
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After cancer diagnosis, state Rep. La Shawn Ford wants others to get screened
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A state legislator who represents the West Side of Chicago hopes to use his surprising prostate cancer diagnosis to encourage residents to get screened too.
“When a doctor tells you you have an aggressive cancer and you have to have surgery, there’s automatically a feeling of fear,” state Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, told the Chicago Sun-Times. “The moral of the story is if I hadn’t advocated for myself it would have metastasized and become a death sentence.”
| Austin Lawmaker Shares Prostate Cancer Story | |
“You could have had prostate cancer for almost 10 years.”
That’s what doctors told state Rep. La Shawn K. Ford last fall when they diagnosed him with prostate cancer at the age of 48 — two years younger than the typical age it’s recommended men start getting tested.
Last weekend, Ford shared his journey to becoming cancer free and championed early detection at a prostate cancer screening event organized by West Suburban Medical Center.
“Diagnosed in October, never talked to anyone about it, had the surgery in January, and here I am,” Ford said, noting he ran a 5K race in February.
Ford stressed the importance of being proactive and told of how he requested a test from his primary physician.
| Young, Black and Battling Prostate Cancer | Compared with white men, Black men are more likely to develop prostate cancer (around one in six will be diagnosed with the disease at some point in their life), and twice as likely to die from it, according to JAMA, the journal of the American Medical Association. | |
The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force recently said that prostate cancer screenings don't save lives, and recommends that healthy men should not get prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood tests. Dr. Compton Benjamin, a urologist at George Washington University, argues that the PSA provides the best insight into whether a patient may have prostate cancer. But Dr. Otis Brawley of the American Cancer Society says the PSA is overused and usually inconclusive. Both speak with Michel Martin.
| Men, Especially African-American Men, Should Get Tested for Prostate Cancer | Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois | |
When Everett Myrick, 52, received a postcard stating he could earn a $50 gift card from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) for his annual checkup, he made an appointment. But he was shocked to learn he tested positive for prostate cancer.
“I’m an active person — I play in many softball leagues and I had no symptoms,” Myrick says. “I was going to the doctor regularly but then COVID hit and I got off track. When my doctor told me my PSA levels were high, I thought, 'where did this come from?' I had no symptoms or concerns to even think something was going on in my body.”
| As Black Men, We Keep Things Close to the Hip: 5 Questions to a Urologist About Prostate Cancer | The goal to eliminate prostate cancer starts with getting people to talk about it—especially Black men, who are two times more likely to die from the disease than most other men. For Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, we spoke with a physician about building awareness and normalizing tough conversations. | |
Resources for Prostate Cancer
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National Today
Learn how to Show Your Support for
Prostate Awareness Month
| Read up more about prostate cancer and learn about its symptoms and possible causes. It is important to know what to look for. | |
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Raise awareness about the condition. You can do so by telling people about the disease and possible steps people should take to protect themselves.
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Volunteer in any way you can to help people with prostate cancer. You can also donate to a foundation that carries out life-saving prostate cancer research to help the cause. | | | | |
