700 men to benefit from free prostate cancer screening in Montego Bay
ON THE eve of its seventh staging, the Rotary Club of Montego Bay East has signed a partnership with the Jamaica Cancer Society to host its 2017 prostate cancer screening.
The health-centred initiative focused on early detection will be held on Monday, September 25 from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Meeting Place Church, Howard Cooke Highway, Montego Bay, St James.
Thausha Martin, president of the Rotary Club of Montego Bay East, acknowledged that although the club’s initiative has resulted in an increased number of men in Montego Bay who are willing to participate in the critical twopart screening process, much more needs to be done to reduce the high rate of diagnosis locall, hence the collaboration. The Jamaica Cancer Registry statistics state that one in every 10 men over 65 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year.
Martin explained that “the combined strength of Rotary’s network and resources and that of our partners – the Jamaica Cancer Society, the Cornwall Regional Hospital, and the National Health fund – will bolster our initiative to educate our men and win the fight against prostate cancer”.
According to Yulit Gordon, of the Jamaica Cancer Society, partnering with the entities for for this year’s screening was a natural fit as it gave the Jamaica Cancer Society an additional platform to connect with a significant percentage of its targeted audience from a cross section of communities in the western part of the island.
“The high incidence of prostate cancer necessitates that a strategic approach is employed to stymie its growth” stated Gordon.