NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — September is prostate cancer awareness month, and Riverside will be providing four free cancer screenings around Hampton Roads and the Eastern Shore.
The free screening are by appointment only. To register for an appointment participants may call 1-800-520-7006. The free screenings will be held on the following dates and locations:
- September 8, 2023, from 1-4 p.m. at Riverside Urology Specialists Williamsburg
- September 9, 2023, from 9 a.m. – Noon at Riverside Cancer Care Center in Newport News
- September 18, 2023, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at Riverside Urology Specialists Eastern Shore
- September 25, 2023, from 1-4 p.m. at Riverside Urology Specialists Gloucester
Prostate screenings are essential to the early detection and treating of prostate cancer in men; the disease is most curable in its early stages.
According to Riverside Health System, one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. That number climbs to one in six among Black men.
Contributing factors such as, family history, genetics, ethnicity, lifestyle and age can all impact a man’s risk for developing the disease.
As men age, their risk of developing prostate cancer increases. An estimated six in ten cases of the disease are diagnosed in men 65 and older.
Oftentimes, prostate cancer does not cause any symptoms until it has progressed into its later stages. Therefore, annual screenings are critical for early diagnosis.
“We encourage all men to talk to their providers about their individual risk factors for developing prostate cancer, such as age, family history or genetics, to help determine when screening is right for them,” says Mary Cleckler, prostate cancer nurse navigator, with the Riverside Cancer Care Network. “Our goal is to encourage patients to take proactive steps to maintain their health and wellness for years to come.”
For more information about the free prostate cancer screenings and prevention, click here.
