Baptist Cancer Institute, with Jacksonville Jaguar Reggie Hayward, Team Up to Sack Prostate Cancer
Screenings Will Be Held on September 18 at Baptist Cancer Institute, September 25 at Baptist South

Jacksonville, Florida, August 9, 2007 -- Prostate cancer is the most common form of non-skin cancer in men. One in six men will get prostate cancer in his lifetime. Fortunately, prostate cancer is treatable if caught in its early stages.

To fight this devastating disease, Baptist Health and the Jacksonville Jaguars are teaming up again this year to help increase awareness of this disease and to promote screening and early detection.

"We are proud to join Baptist Cancer Institute and hope that by joining in this awareness and prevention campaign, we will help save lives," says Hayward, defensive end for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

To increase awareness of prostate health, Baptist Health will host two free prostate cancer screenings for the sixth year in a row. The first screening will be held at Baptist Cancer Institute on Tuesday, September 18, 2007. The second will be held at Baptist Medical Center South on Tuesday, September 25, 2007. Reservations are required. Please call 904.202.CARE (2273) to make your reservation.

Hayward plans to attend both screenings days and door prizes will be given away.

The screening will include a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and a digital rectal exam performed by urologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists and primary care physicians associated with Baptist Health.

"Often, prostate cancer presents with little or no symptoms, and when it does, symptoms are subtle," says Connie Lewis, RN, coordinator of the Center for Prostate Care at Baptist Cancer Institute. "That's why screening is so important for men, especially those who are over age 45. Many times, prostate cancer is diagnosed during routine screening. The earlier it is diagnosed, the greater the chance for cure."

She adds, "Every year, we see patients at our screening who are ultimately diagnosed with prostate cancer and were previously unaware. That's why we offer this free service year after year for our community."

Last year, Baptist Cancer Institute and Baptist South screened 196 men. Of those, 31 men were sent for further testing due to suspicious results. Since beginning of the screenings in 2002, Baptist has screened almost 900 men, with an average 15.9 percent receiving abnormal results and being referred for further testing. This year, Baptist expects to screen 200 men at Baptist Cancer Institute and 100 men at Baptist South, bringing the total of screenings since 2002 to more than 1,000.

For information on the prostate cancer screenings, call 202.CARE (2273). For more information about prostate health, visit e-baptisthealth.com/cancer .