Foundation supports prostate cancer awareness

Prostate cancer screening can be an uncomfortable and embarrassing experience for men, but the consequences of ignoring the disease can be life threatening.

According to the Arkansas Central Cancer Registry, 2,830 Arkansas men will hear the words, “You have prostate cancer,” and 330 will die this year. In the early stages, there are usually no symptoms.

Six community leaders who are prostate cancer survivors and a medical advisory committee of urologists, oncologists and family physicians throughout the state established the Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation (APCF) in 2000 to help men address the issue. The foundation’s mission is to promote awareness, encourage timely detection and support improved treatment of prostate cancer in Arkansas.

“Men are more likely to get prostate cancer than women are to get breast cancer,” director Helen Baldwin said. “Men don’t like to talk about it because of the sensitive issues surrounding treatment, but the risk of side effects can be decreased with early detection and new treatment methods.”

Arkansas has significantly higher prostate cancer incidence and mortality rates than the national average. The foundation has concentrated its efforts in 13 counties shown to have the highest death and incidence rates, burden of disease and barriers to healthcare. Though reaching any man is important, the foundation is focusing on underserved populations. Baldwin said black men are two-thirds more likely to have prostate cancer and twice as likely to die from it.

The foundation’s mobile screening and education unit is perhaps its most successful tool. Having been on the road for five years, the mobile unit helps men overcome barriers to screening, from financial burden to lack of transportation and local care or education about health care issues. Physicians, phlebotomists, nurses and nurse practitioners — usually from the counties where the unit travels — all volunteer to conduct screenings.

“Screenings are free to all recipients,” Baldwin said. “If we get suspicious results, we send a certified letter and make sure they have access to a doctor or urologist.

“We encourage second opinions and provide information regarding the disease so that men and their loved ones will know what questions to ask their doctors.”

In addition to the mobile unit, the foundation receives support from the Arkansas Cancer Coalition to conduct statewide education campaigns, which allows for the distribution of free information at health fairs, work sites, churches and other venues. The APCF Web site is also a source of information and links to additional trustworthy sites. Other routes for education include radio and newspaper coverage, presentations to civic organizations and businesses, as well as billboards, especially in rural areas.

Once a man has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, the foundation refers men to the American Cancer Society’s Man-to-Man Support Group or to individual survivors. Books, videos and other resources are available at the foundation’s Little Rock office or can be delivered anonymously through the mail.

Funding for the foundation’s work is provided by the Arkansas legislature, the Centers for Disease Control, corporate partners and private donations.

Currently, the foundation is collaborating with the Arkansas Cancer Coalition to establish a Patient Navigation Program. Patient navigation is a process by which trained individuals proactively guide patients through and around barriers in the healthcare system. The purpose of the program is to ensure that all patients with suspicious findings receive information and assistance to achieve better outcomes.

The Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation is continually recognized for its efforts. In 2005, they received the UAMS Double Helix in support of improved treatment efforts and the Lighting the Way Award from the Arkansas Cancer Community Network at the Second Annual Midsouth Summit Black Expo in 2006.

“Know the risk, beat the odds,” Baldwin said. “Be educated, and talk to your doctor.”

 

Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation
1910 North Grant Street, Suite 1-A
Little Rock, AR