In observance of National Men’s Health Awareness Week, June 13-18, Troy Regional Medical Center is offering free PSA screenings from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

The screenings will be done at the hospital lab on the first floor across from the registration area. No appointment is necessary.

Karen Herring, TRMC director of marketing, said the PSA (prostate cancer) screenings will be done in an effort to heighten awareness of the importance of the screenings and encourage early detection and treatment of the disease.

“Men routinely change the batteries in their smoke alarms and the oil in their cars,” Herring said. “But PSA screenings are most important because they are a from of taking care of yourself and your family.”

The PSA screenings involve the drawing of a small amount of blood from the arm. With no wait time, the screenings take only 15 to 30 minutes.

“We have scheduled the PSA screenings so that men who work can come by before or after work or during their lunch hour,” Herring said. “We want to make it convenient for everyone who wants to participate.”

The confidential results will be mailed to the participants in a self-addressed envelope.

It will then be up to the participants to contact their physicians if they have questions or concerns.

Jennifer Ventress, TRMC chief clinical officer, said that there is an on-going, increasing and predominately silent crisis in the health and well being of men.

“Due to a lack of awareness and poor health education, men fail to have proper screenings for prostate cancer and other health risks,” Ventress said. “With Men’s Health Awareness Week, Troy Regional Medical Center wants to impress upon men the importance of taking care of their health.”

Ventress said more than 30 million men suffer from prostate conditions that negatively affect their quality of health.

“More than 50 percent of men in the 60s and as many as 90 percent of those who are 70 years and older have symptoms of an enlarged prostate,” Ventress said. “Each year, more than 230,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and about 30,000 will die of it.”

Prostatitis, which is inflammation of the prostate gland, is an issue for men of all ages and affects 35 percent of men ages 50 and older.

For more information, call 334-670-5487.