Georgia Prostate Cancer Coalition and Partners to Offer Free Screening for Firefighters
2/16/2017, Frank Catroneo
Georgia ranks fourth in the nation for deaths from prostate cancer (on a per capita basis). One of the groups committed to reducing this statistic is the Georgia Prostate Cancer Coalition (GPCC). GPCC was founded in 2000 and is a nonprofit association that seeks to build awareness and educate the men of Georgia on the importance of annual physicals and getting screened for prostate cancer. GPCC accomplishes this mission by outreach to corporations, civic organizations, religious groups and health fairs.
Early detection is a key in beating prostate cancer. One of the primary goals of GPCC is for all men to get a baseline PSA test and DRE at age 40 (age 35 for African-American men, or men having a history of cancer in their family) and consult with their doctor on the frequency of further tests. In recent years, GPCC has offered free prostate cancer screening events for the unemployed, uninsured and underinsured men of Georgia by partnering with hospitals, clinics and urologists. Between 2015 and 2016, GPCC offered free screenings to over 2,000 men annually. Of the men screened, between 10-12% were called back for possible prostate cancer issues.
GPCC recognizes that firefighters have a higher rate of cancer than the general population and it is a leading killer of firefighters. Therefore, GPCC has committed to work with the Georgia State Firefighters Association (GSFA) and the Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs (GAFC) to encourage firefighters to get screened for prostate cancer during annual physicals.
Starting March 1, GPCC is expanding its free prostate cancer screenings to all firefighters. Urology groups offering free PSA testing in the Rome, Albany, Atlanta and Columbus areas will be listed under the “First Responders” section of www.georgiapcc.org. GPCC plans to expand its efforts to other parts of the state throughout 2017.
“We look forward to working proactively with the state firefighter associations to make sure that firefighters understanding the importance of getting checked for prostate cancer and make the important choice to get screened,” said Frank Catroneo. “We hope that by working together we can raise awareness about prostate cancer and help save the lives of those who are committed to providing public safety to our communities.”
To learn more about the Georgia Prostate Cancer Coalition or find out more about the locations for free screenings, visit www.georgiapcc.org.
Frank Catroneo the Executive Director for the Georgia Prostate Cancer Coalition and may be reached at (770) 619-0710 or email at: catroneo@bellsouth.net