Monongahela Valley Hospital and the American Cancer Society are collaborating in the mid-Mon Valley to educate African American Men about prostate cancer. They will hold educational discussions and screenings on Saturday February 9 from 10 a.m. to Noon at the Gate of Heaven – Church of God in Christ on Reed Avenue in Monessen.

Dr. Andrew Zahalsky, Chairman of Medical Oncology at MVH will lead the educational portion of the presentation by educating the group about prostate cancer including; options for testing and treatments; the risk and benefits of testing; and the risks and benefits of all treatment options. He will be followed by Michelle Pfarr, Clinical Nutrition Manager at MVH, who will discuss proper nutrition leading to prevention.

Time will be allotted following the educational presentations to allow the group to ask questions and to hear about the experience of survivors, their spouses and their families.

The American Cancer Society will be on hand to link the men to the resources and services of the American Cancer Society, including the ACS web-site and toll-free information line, encourage them to make healthy changes to their lifestyles and inform them of the ASC Guidelines for prostate cancer and motivate them to discuss prostate health with their doctor.

The screenings will be provided the day of the program and are free.
The program is part of The American Cancer Society’s “Let’s Talk About It” which is a community based prostate cancer awareness and education program for African American men developed collaboratively by the American Cancer Society and 100 Black Men of America.

The goal of the program is to help men who are at higher risk for developing prostate cancer become more knowledgeable about prostate health. That education will help them become more active and effective decision-makers when it comes to deciding whether they want to be tested for prostate cancer.

The program is targeted to African American men because they are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer as are other populations.

The American Cancer Society believes that men age 50 and older who have at least a 10-year life expectancy should talk with their health care
professional about having a digital rectal exam of the prostate gland and a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test every year. Men who are at high risk for prostate cancer (black men or men who have a history of prostate cancer in close family members) should consider beginning these tests at an earlier age.