21
Jun
2010
Men throughout Illinois encouraged to get a prostate cancer screening during Men's Health Week: June 14-20, 2010
CHICAGO - June, 20, 2010, Governor Pat Quinn today joined Dr. Damon T. Arnold, Illinois Department of Public Health Director and a prostate cancer survivor, and Access Community Health Network to encourage men throughout the state to recognize the importance living a healthy lifestyle, which includes preventative health screenings, such as prostate exams.
"Father's Day is the perfect time to urge the men in your life to take their health seriously," said Governor Quinn. "Men often ignore health problems until it's too late. With regular medical check-ups and screenings, many preventable health problems can be detected early and treated."
At an event held at Access Grand Boulevard Health and Specialty Center in Chicago, Governor Quinn urged men to get screened for prostate cancer. Medical professionals were onsite to administer prostate cancer screenings to men in attendance.
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men, behind only lung cancer. Prostate cancer accounts for about 11 percent of cancer-related deaths in men. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer, other than skin cancers, in American men. One in six men will develop prostate cancer over their lifetime.
"As a prostate cancer survivor myself, I know the importance of early detection through routine screening. I'm healthy and cancer free today because of prostate cancer screenings," said Dr. Arnold. "I urge every man to overcome their fears of prostate cancer exams and go get screened."
The Illinois State Cancer Registry estimates approximately 9,030 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in Illinois during 2010 and an estimated 1,330 Illinois men will die from it. Across the United States, approximately 218,000 new cases of prostate cancer are expected this year.
Access Community Health Network (ACCESS) is the largest private primary health care provider serving the underserved in the Chicagoland area. ACCESS operates more than 50 community health center locations in underserved, low-income neighborhoods throughout Chicago and Chicago's suburbs.
###
