EDMONTON — The Prostate Cancer Centre’s Man Van made a pit stop in Edmonton Tuesday in hopes of encouraging more men to get tested for prostate cancer.
The Man Van was set up inside the Edmonton Expo Centre during Farm Tech, a crop production and farm management conference.
The mobile unit offers on-the-spot Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood tests for men over the age of 40. PSA is a protein that’s released by the prostate gland that can be used as an early-indicator of prostate cancer.
Those with the Man Van say they go where men go and it’s all about making health care easy and accessible.
“We have hundreds of men here today and we all know men are notoriously bad for going and getting regular check-ups. If it’s not broken or if it’s not bleeding we don’t go,” Ken Rabb with the Prostate Cancer Centre said.
“We make it easy. We make it a nice, friendly environment where they can come on board and be proactive about their health.”
READ MORE: Survivor says men shouldn’t be scared of, embarrassed by prostate cancer
The blood test takes about five minutes. Patients also have their blood glucose, blood pressure and body mass index tested.
“We’re just promoting that men know all of their health numbers and these are all just great health indicators that every man should know,” Rabb said.
Carl Bergstrom, a grain farmer from Bashaw, Alta., took a few minutes out of his day to get tested. His dad passed away in 1988 after a long battle with prostate cancer and believes a few minutes is nothing when it comes to your health.
“We think we’re indestructible, right? We’ll last forever,’ Bergstrom said. “This is awesome. Otherwise guys don’t go to the doctor, I’m one of them. This is great. It’s here. No appointment, no nothing… Quick and easy.”
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According to the Prostate Cancer Centre, one in seven Canadian men will be affected by prostate cancer in their lifetime.
The Man Van will be at Farm Tech Tuesday night, Wednesday and Thursday. The hours are posted below:
Tuesday, Jan. 26
2:30 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 27
7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m.
11:30 a.m. -1:30 p.m.
2:30 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 28
7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m.
11 a.m. -12:30 p.m.
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