EHS held its first annual Men’s Health and Family Fun Day

Far Rockaway, New York, September 9, 2023 — Episcopal Health Services organized the inaugural Men’s Health & Family Fun Day on the boardwalk in front of DredSurfer Grill, located at Beach 17th Street, on Saturday, September 9. The event included speaking sessions on various important topics. Assemblyman Khaleel M. Anderson spoke about “Beyond the Stigma”, while Dr. Apolinario Mateo provided insight on “Prostate Cancer Awareness.” Dr. Jean Simon focused on Physical Health and Stress Management for Men, Dr. Roberts Power discussed Substance Use Disorder and Recovery, and NYPD Officer Arthur presented on Violence and Health.

The successful event had a wide range of attendees. There were plenty of activities for everyone to participate in, including a Wellness and Community Vendor Fair, healthy food tasting, free health screenings, family-friendly activities like face painting, and a bouncy castle. The presenting sponsor, Emblem Health, was generous in providing tents and water for the event. EHS also offered a passport to health, which directed men to the EHS Mobile Health and Wellness Program Van for prostate screening appointments and blood pressure checks. The Behavioral Health Department also provided information on available resources. Outside the Amphitheatre, the DJ played music, and during breaks, Steel Pannist Earl Brooks Jr. delivered an excellent performance.

This event was held in September to coincide with Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men, except for skin cancer. In 2023, according to Cancer.Net, an estimated 288,300 men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Worldwide, an estimated 1,414,259 people were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2020. It is the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world.

The disease is rarely identified in those younger than 40. The number of new cases diagnosed in Black men is 70% higher than the number of new cases diagnosed in White men. Black men in the United States and the Caribbean have the highest incidence rates of prostate cancer around the globe.

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men in the United States. It is estimated that 34,700 deaths from this disease will occur in the United States in 2023. In 2020, an estimated 375,304 people worldwide died from prostate cancer. However, the death rate dropped by half from 1993 to 2013 as a result of advances in screening and treatment. From 2016 to 2020, the decline in the death rate slowed to just over half of a percent each year, likely as a result of the increase in prostate cancers diagnosed at an advanced stage. There are more than 3.1 million survivors of prostate cancer in the United States today.