September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. It’s no wonder prostate cancer gets an entire month of recognition: For men, it’s the most commonly diagnosed cancer — and the second leading cause of cancer death.
However, when caught in its earliest stages, the five-year survival rate for prostate cancer is over 99%. While the death rate has been steadily declining for over two decades, there is still room for improvement.
The St. Christopher Fund (SCF) believes it starts with proactive screenings.
Check your PSA
As part of the Get Preventative Screenings (GPS) program through SCF, Class A over-the-road (OTR) drivers can sign up to request a free PSA testing kit. PSA, or prostate-specific antigen, is a protein produced by the prostate gland. PSA testing can be used as a proactive prostate cancer screening tool, a follow-up for prostate-related symptoms or a way to monitor already-diagnosed prostate cancer.
An elevated PSA could indicate inflammation of the prostate, an enlarged prostate, prostate cancer or other medical conditions, such as infection. It is important to keep in mind that an abnormal PSA result does not automatically indicate a cancer diagnosis.
PSA testing is recommended for men starting around age 55, with some exceptions. For high-risk individuals, which includes Black men and men with an immediate family history of prostate cancer, screening should begin as early as age 40. PSA testing may also be recommended for men who are experiencing prostate symptoms such as painful or frequent urination, blood in the urine, or chronic pelvic and/or back pain.
Test for free at home
With the availability of new FDA-approved at-home PSA test kits, OTR drivers now have the ability to test without the need for appointments or downtime. SCF is able to provide these test kits to eligible Class A drivers thanks to a partnership with Call-on-Doc and generous sponsorships from Southern Recipe and OOIDA.
A simple finger prick to collect a few drops of blood is all that is needed to complete the PSA test, which is then returned in a pre-paid mailer. Participants can expect results via email within two weeks.
Find out more
To learn more about the GPS program and other free programs offered by the St. Christopher Fund or register to get started at truckersfund.org/healthwellness. To share health and wellness topics you’d like to learn more about, or to suggest ideas for future programs, we welcome you to reach out to Lindsey Bryan, the St. Christopher Fund’s health and wellness manager at [email protected].
You can also listen to SCF’s latest “Highway to Hope” podcast about prostate health below. To hear more of our podcasts on Podwheels.com, click here.
As the health and wellness manager for the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund, Lindsey Bryan has a passion for helping drivers manage their health. While she has always had a heart for helping others, she found her passion in health coaching while on her own health journey after being diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder and learning the impact that nutrition and exercise can make in the management of chronic health conditions.
Lindsey graduated from Brenau University with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology. She’s spent the past decade working in various health and wellness fields including addiction counseling, social work, inpatient psychiatric rehabilitation and nutrition counseling.
Outside of work, Lindsey is an avid gardener and loves to hike the mountains of East Tennessee. When the weather doesn’t allow for outdoor adventures, you can find her crafting, baking and spending time with her husband, son and their dogs.
