A simple test that could have life-saving implications will be offered at the Sylvan Lake Farmers Market on Friday (July 10).
The Prostate Cancer Centre’s Man Van will be parked at the market from 4 to 7:30 p.m. to offer men over 40 baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests.
The test is carried out with the aim of detecting prostate cancer at an early stage. It detects the amount of PSA — a prostate-produced protein released into the bloodstream — in a man to determine his risk of prostate cancer.
According to the Prostate Cancer Centre, a non-profit organization dedicated to detecting and treating prostate cancer and other related diseases, the cancer is the leading one among men in Alberta, with one in seven men expected to develop it at some point in life.
About 2,600 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year, and about eight men die from it each week.
The Prostate Cancer Centre notes that men — often busy with work, family and social commitments — don’t always consider prostate health to be a priority in their lives, with many of them struggling to find time for a doctor’s visit.
The Man Van aims to bring prostate cancer detection into the community, and offers the test at no charge. No appointments are necessary.