Sorry ladies, this one is just for the men!

The Prostate Cancer Centre's Man Van made a stop at the Ron Ebbesen Arena in Airdrie yesterday (February 10) to provide a simple blood test to screen men for the disease.

Program Manager Ken Rabb says prostate cancer is the leading cancer in men.  "One in seven men in Alberta will be diagnosed with prostate cancer sometime in their life."  But, Rabb says, early detection is the key.  "Prostate cancer when it's caught early is very treatable.  Having a PSA blood test is a way to catch cancer early before it has a chance to spread and become difficult to treat."

Rabb says that's where the Man Van comes in.  It comes to communities men are in, rather than waiting for them to visit a doctor, something, believe it or not, a lot of men are hesitant to do. 

Rabb explains that PSA stands for Prostate Specific Antigen.  It's a quick, simple blood test that requires about half a teaspoon of blood to be taken and is recommended for all men over 40.  He says the Man Van tries to come to Airdrie once or twice a year and is always met with a great response.

"The community has always been a great supporter of ours.  I think the community understands the importance of good health and is always welcoming the Man Van with open arms,"

The Airdrie "AAA" Midget Bisons were on board as a community sponsor and offered free tickets to yesterday's game for any men signing up to be tested.

The Man Van puts on a lot of miles every year says Rabb.  "We'll do about 200 clinics every year with our Man Van program.  We've tested about 37,000 men and that trends just continuing to go up and up and that has a lot to do with men starting to take their health seriously."

Rabb says he is constantly hearing stories of how a test at the Man Van has saved someone's life.  "We have volunteers here today who say that they're alive because they got their cancer treated early on the Man Van.  That;'s why the Man Van's around is to educate and increase awareness and we get these stories from men who say 'I wouldn't have got tested if I didn't run into the Man Van in the community.'  That's why our centre runs the program." 

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