Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, a nonprofit medical research center based out of Atlanta, has launched a new mobile prostate cancer screening program.
Backed by the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation (philanthropic organization), the initiative aims to “bring accessible initial screenings to men across Georgia,” according to a release.
The mobile clinic will travel throughout the state and offer free prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests, a procedure that Winship Cancer Institute says is a common first step in detecting prostate cancer.
The program focuses on reaching people that are at increased risk for the disease, including Black men, who reportedly face higher incidence and mortality rates from prostate cancer.
Winship Cancer Institute emphasized that early detection can dramatically improve survival rates, but said that many men delay or avoid screenings due to work schedules, transportation challenges or misconceptions.
“Bringing prostate cancer screening directly into neighborhoods helps break down the barriers that too often keep men from getting tested,” said Martin Sanda, director of Winship’s Prostate Cancer Program. “By making prostate cancer screening more convenient and accessible, we can find the disease earlier, when it’s most treatable, and ultimately save more lives.”
The initiative builds on a model pioneered by Mount Sinai Health System in New York, where over 11,000 men have been screened since 2015, with around 20 percent of those screenings requiring a follow-up, according to Dr. Ash Tewari (chair of the Milton and Carroll Petrie Department of Urology at Mount Sinai), the person who established the program.
“With the initiative now extended to Georgia communities via Winship’s collaboration, the shared commitment to healthcare among the participating organizations is a hand-in-hand commitment to rewrite the narrative around prostate cancer for all men across America and the globe,” said Tewari. “Every screening is a step toward increasing access, raising awareness and advancing toward our long-term goal of screening one million men. Here’s to the next million miles and the million lives we hope to reach.”
Winship Cancer Institute commemorated the program launch with a community event at Mercedes-Benz Stadium that featured numerous health leaders and city officials, along with appearances by Montell Jordan (American R&B singer) and former Atlanta Falcons player Chris Draft, among others in attendance.