Newly published research from the University of Rochester Medical Center shows that the PSA test has life-saving benefits to men of all ages. Without routine PSA testing, the number of men diagnosed with an incurable form of advanced prostate cancer, also referred to as metastatic prostate cancer, would triple.

Many prostate cancer experts believe widespread availability and usage of the PSA test contributed to a prostate cancer death rate reduction by nearly half. Dr. David Samadi, a leading robotic prostatectomy surgeon from The Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, points out the precision with which this data supports that claim.

"Today, roughly 8,000 men are diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. To triple that number would, in fact, double the number of men who succumb to the disease each year," he explains.

ZERO has partnered with Dr. Samadi, Vice Chairman, Department of Urology and Chief of Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery at The Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, to help educate and answer questions from our readers. Look for more content from him in future issues of ZEROHour!

Click Here to Read More from Dr. Samadi on PSA Testing

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Prostate Cancer Among African American Men Reaches Epidemic Proportions

The U.S. Senate recently passed a resolution acknowledging that awareness and prevention of prostate cancer is as critical as it's ever been for African American men. The resolution, which was introduced by Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), urges federal agencies to address what they're now calling an "epidemic" by supporting education, awareness outreach and research specifically focused on how prostate cancer affects black men.

African American men have the highest rate of prostate cancer in the world, with one in five men getting the disease during his lifetime. Want to know more about your risk? Read ZERO's fact sheet Ten Things African American Men Should Know About Prostate Cancer.

Click Here to Read the Full Story

DAVENPORT, Iowa -- Aug. 7, 2012 -- Genesis Health System and development partner Build To Suit, Bettendorf, have broken ground for a 10,500-square foot building that will house the Genesis Center for Physical Therapy and Sports Rehabilitation at Eastern Avenue and 53rd Street.

Treatment options new to the region will include underwater and anti-gravity treadmills to expedite recovery after surgery or injury.

"This facility will have features unlike any now available in the region for recovery from injury or surgery,'' said Doug Boleyn, outpatient rehabilitation services director, Genesis Health System. "We will also have an emphasis on recovery of athletes or anyone who has suffered an injury while participating in sports.''

The underwater treadmill allows individuals to maximize their recovery potential by returning to functional training, such as walking, running and swimming much earlier in their recovery process and, with significantly less pain. Having the ability to adjust water temperature will allow for muscle relaxation and reduction of joint stiffness with warm temperatures and swelling control with cooler temperatures.

The underwater treadmill will be equipped with video analysis. Swimmers will be able to swim against resistance and runners will be able to train while having mechanics videotaped to decrease the possibility of future injuries and maximize performance.

An anti-gravity treadmill, developed by NASA, uses air pressure in a chamber to gently lift the user and is used primarily for rehabilitation of lower extremity injuries and athletic training.

The facility will have higher ceiling height, a pitching mound, golf net, running lanes and a lounge called the Chill Zone for cool down after workouts. The features will allow athletes greater opportunity for a quicker return to competitive athletics. Sports-specific training will be available.

The Genesis Rehabilitation staff will continue to provide one-on-one individualized care for both acute and chronic pain. Services include treatment for muscle, bone and joint pain, return to work training, pre- and post-operative recovery, balance/dizziness dysfunctions and TMJ/headache pain. A certified hand specialist will continue to restore maximal upper extremity function regardless of the degree of the injury.

Paul Boffeli, vice president and project manager for Built To Suit, said he believes the Genesis facility could stimulate additional development in the area.

"There is a lot of opportunity for additional development on 53rd Street and Eastern Avenue. So far, commercial development has been limited, but we think this project may open the area to other projects,'' Boffeli said.

The building is scheduled to be completed by Jan. 1.

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While the start of the school year finds many reminiscing about lazy summer days of play and relaxation, four young local artists spent a week of their vacation exploring the unique healing powers of horses.  As part of the Murals course at Rivermont Collegiate Summer Camp 2012, four students created a truly impressive 5' x 7' mural on canvas drop cloth to be displayed in the arena/pole barn at Juan Diez Rancheros in Davenport.

Before beginning, students spoke with Juan Diez Rancheros about their mission and explored the purpose of their mural.  Juan Diez Rancheros is a non-profit program offering free horse therapy for children who have been abused or emotionally traumatized, with the use of rescued horses.  The program is unlike any other horse therapy offered in the Quad Cities, with testimonials describing children who have become more conversational, trusting, expressive, and patient after interacting with the horses.

Rivermont students Dwira Nandini (5^th grade), Asha Alla (5^th grade), Adam Chamberlain (6^th grade), and Maryam Rasheed (6^th grade) chose to paint a young girl interacting with a horse with the Centennial Bridge in the background.  This was an ambitious project - work was completed in only about two days!  Dwira, Asha, Adam, and Maryam chose the bridge to represent the Quad Cities and symbolize "bridging the gap" - connecting the child's heart with the horse's heart.  They chose to paint silhouettes so that any child could picture themself as the subject of the mural.  The group brainstormed for the ideal words to encircle the image, with each student ultimately selecting one of the four - caring, hope, friendship, and healing.  Maryam explained the soft, cool colors were chosen to express a mood of friendship and bonding.  Her favorite aspects of the project included painting the figures - the girl and the horse having "a moment" - and learning how horses can connect to children and help them overcome trauma.

Students delivered the mural to Juan Diez Rancheros on Friday, August 3^rd and it has been described as an "incredible display of inspiration."  Tremendous thanks go out to the leaders of the Murals course, Dominic Velando and Laura Klavitter, without which this project could not have been completed.

For more information on Juan Diez Rancheros, visit http://juandiezrancheros.org

For more information on Rivermont Collegiate, visit http://www.rvmt.org

'These Kids Sometimes Suffer Lifelong Damage,'
Says Ex-Wife of College Football Coach

Every college football fan has asked, "What was the coach thinking?" at some point or other. That's OK,  says Kathy (Currey) Kronick, author of Mrs. Coach: Life in Major College Football (www.mrscoach14yrs.com), sometimes I wish they would bottle their "BOOs."

As college teams and their fans prepare for the kickoff of another contentious season, Kronick offers insights from her unique perspective as a longtime "Mrs. Coach."

"I have been in stadiums where I've thought to myself, 'This must be what it was like in ancient Rome,' " says Kronick, whose book recounts her years married to Coach Dave Currey. "Some fans get so caught up in the heat of the moment that they forget these players are just kids who may be dealing with injuries or personal problems."

There are many factors that feed into a coach's decision regarding players, plays and clock management, she says. Last-minute decisions may be influenced by events and observations that go back to Pop Warner, or even earlier.

"A football coach's work is never done," she says. "When they're not on the field, in the weight room or at meetings, a head coach's mind is still on football. It was frustrating for me to know all that was behind a decision when fans started booing."

She says fans should remember the following realities in college football:

• Student athletes: It's very difficult to earn a slot on a major college team's roster from high school, and only 2.4 percent of these young players ever make it to the next level. "These are kids just out of high school who have devoted their lives to the game. Most will not become millionaires, or even go pro, so I wish fans would give them a break," Kronick says. "They are also full-time students, too, with all the added pressures of academia."

• Injuries: Some of the most egregious booing comes from fans who think a player isn't tough enough when injured. "The charge is 'lack of heart' when an important player is out of a game due to a 'borderline' injury, which cannot be diagnosed by a doctor or seen in an x-ray," she says. "Many of these student-athletes incur injuries that may affect them if they try to go pro. Even if they don't continue in football, they may carry the limp of the game for the rest of their lives. No athlete should ever be forced to play with an injury."

• Coach knows best: It's the coach's job to obsess over every detail that will help the team win. They do that 24/7, 11 months of the year. (They're off the month of  July, when they attempt to make up for all the family time they've missed, but even then, they're still thinking about the team, Kronick says.) "Their lives revolve around winning - and not making mistakes. A bad call is only so labeled if a play doesn't work," she says. "Couch-surfing coaches and Monday-morning quarterbacks should be aware of that before criticizing."

Coaches always say that if fans buy tickets, they have the right to boo, Kronick says.

"But coaches' wives say, 'Please don't boo around us.' "

About Kathy (Currey) Kronick

Kathy (Currey) Kronick was married to Dave Currey from 1974 to 1989. He was an assistant coach at Stanford University when they met and married, and later moved on to Long Beach State (Calif.), the University of Cincinnati and UCLA. They divorced in 1996. Kronick, who has a bachelor's in education of the deaf and a master's in counseling, is the mother of two children and is happily remarried.