Thanks to a community grant from the Prevent Cancer Foundation, the Upstate Prostate Cancer Alliance (UPCA) is able to continue our outreach initiative of prostate cancer education and awareness to the underserved communities of Upstate South Carolina.
As a partner to the Greenville SC Chapter of the Us TOO Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network, UPCA provides men and their families the tools and other information required to make informed decisions related to prostate cancer screening and treatment options. The Upstate Prostate Cancer Alliance promotes and implements programs focused on education and awareness leading to early detection of prostate cancer. These programs include making educational presentations at churches, and other community organizations, as well as partnering with local hospitals to provide free screening for men at risk of developing prostate cancer.
In August UPCA and the Greenville Chapter of Us TOO Prostate Cancer and Education and Support Network initiated its annual awareness campaign leading into prostate cancer awareness month, which is observed each September.
During September, UPCA joins numerous prostate cancer organizations, private companies, individuals, and communities throughout the United States in promoting events that raise prostate cancer awareness. During this time we also encourage men to take advantage of the education and free screenings being offered here in Upstate South Carolina.
Our observance campaign officially began on August 12th, as UPCA, and Us TOO, in partnership with Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center and the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, hosted a Breast and Prostate Cancer Awareness Forum. Our goal was to encourage men and women, spouses and partners and significant others to join together to work toward better health and learn about the risk factors, the signs and the symptoms of these two devastating diseases.
At the forum, physicians presented an educational overview of Breast and Prostate cancers. Survivors also shared their experiences. The program concluded with a questions and answers session. The event was free and a healthy meal was served. Feedback from the community was very positive and we hope to do more programs of this type in the future.
