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As men age, the cells in the prostate gland can become cancerous. Every year in the United States, more than 30,000 men die from prostate cancer, second only to skin cancer. About one in eight men in America will develop the condition at some point in their lives, and about one in 40 will die from it. Age is the greatest risk factor for prostate cancer. While only one in 10,000 men under age 40 will be diagnosed, that number leaps to one in 14 for those ages 60 to 69. About 60 percent of all prostate cancers are diagnosed in men over the age of 65, and 97 percent occur in men 50 years of age and older. All of these facts are reasons for concern, but Black men must be particularly vigilant. Black men have a 70 percent higher rate of developing high-risk prostate cancer, and are more than twice as likely to die from it. Prostate cancer usually has no noticeable symptoms. The first sign of disease is often found during a routine screening exam. This is why screening is important

L-R: Charine Araujo and Pam Jenkins preparing backpack donations.

But there is good news; with early detection, prostate cancer can be treated successfully and thanks to billionaire businessman and philanthropist Robert F. Smith, the lives of more Black men in New York City can be saved. The Mount Sinai Robert F. Smith Mobile Prostate Cancer Screening Unit, a state-of-the-art mobile facility equipped with advanced scanning and trained staff, enables early detection of prostate cancer for at-risk Black men. The mobile Black men have a 70 percent higher rate of developing high-risk prostate cancer, and are more than twice as likely to die from it.

L-R: Interfaith Neighbors Community Outreach Specialist Diane Shelton; VNAC Patient Navigator Shereise Brinson; VNAC Marketing Outreach Manager Raven Gates; Triumphant Life Church Community Outreach Specialist Pam Jenkins; Asbury Park Housing Authority Housing Manager Shemea Marshall; and Melia Bloom Founder, Lifestyle Coach, and Author Pamela A. Major.