Men urged to get tested at Bridgnorth event
A prostate cancer screening event that saw hundreds of men attending last year will be returning to Bridgnorth next month.
The event - organised by the Bridgnorth Lions - returned in 2021 for the first time since the pandemic and operated a new booking system to stop people having to queue.
Last year also saw men 40-plus eligible for screening rather than 50 plus as before after an increase in the number of cases in the 40-50 age group
The Lions club launched its annual public PSA (prostate-specific antigen) Test Event in 2009 and has carried out over 10,000 tests since then – with approximately 500 men diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Martin Allen from the club said: "This could literally be a life-or-death event for some. Prostate cancer kills 13,000 men in the UK every year – but if caught early, the disease is potentially curable. However, its symptoms can often be difficult to recognise.
“Almost without exception every man who has subsequently been diagnosed with prostate cancer following one of our PSA test evenings had no idea that they had the disease.
"It is significant to note that the disruption that was COVID had a disastrous effect on diagnosis rates, with deaths increasing over 50 per-cent during this period.
"This year`s screening evening will follow the same process introduced last year in that attendance will be strictly by appointment only.
"Pre booking last year enabled the event to be far more effectively and efficiently organised and resulted in virtually no queuing and many gents being in and out in ten minutes."
"One important addition this year is the option of taking additional subsidised cholesterol and diabetes tests at the same time as your PSA test. They cost £15 each but are entirely optional."
He said they were grateful for donations from Nock Deighton Agricultural, Bridgnorth Livestock market following their highly successful charity auction and Hydrobolt Wolverhampton which enable the costs to be kept at a minimum.
The date for the event is Thursday September 22 at Castle Hall with registration needed at www.bnlc.mypsatest.org.uk, but pre-events are being held at the Old Castle Pub on Tuesday August 30 from 6-9pm and Bridgnorth Library on Thursday September 8 from 9am-4pm.
