A Word From The Publisher

Happy Fathers Day to all the dads out there. It's a tough job to be a dad, but it's an important one too. There always seems to be less hoopla for Fathers Day than for Mothers Day, when really there should be just as much attention paid.

In recognition of Men's Health Week, which culminates on Father's Day, State Senator Craig M. Johnson has called upon New York women to help increase men's awareness of prostate cancer. He noted that men may not listen when it comes to directions, but according to a 2006 national study, they are likely to listen to women when it comes to their own health.

"The study released by the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the Gillette Prostate Cancer Challenge showed that almost three-quarters of men said they would be very likely to talk to their doctors about prostate cancer as a result of urging from the women in their lives," Senator Johnson said. "That means wives, daughters and sisters are our secret weapons when it comes to getting men to speak with physicians about this deadly disease."

According to the American Cancer Society, about one in every six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. African-American men are at special risk for the disease, with the highest rate of prostate cancer in the world. Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of male cancer-related death in the United States, but more than 99 percent of patients survive if the disease is detected and treated early.

Prostate cancer screening typically involves two steps: a blood test that measures prostate-specific antigen, or PSA; and a physical examination of the prostate. While the American Cancer Society does not support routine testing for prostate cancer, they do suggest men speak with their doctors about the risks and benefits of screening.

A screening test for prostate cancer takes only 10 minutes, and New York State law requires health insurance policies to cover diagnostic screening, Johnson noted.

Meg Morgan Norris

Publisher