CANCER TESTING
Sydney Poitier has it, James Earl Jones was tested for it but didn’t have it and this week, it was Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas’ turn to see if he had it.
“It” is prostate cancer and the 41-year-old councilman got tested to draw attention to the African American Men’s Health Project, which provides African American men over 40 with tests for prostate cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure--all for just $5.
The project is funded through a $496,000 grant from the California Wellness Foundation to St. Vincent Medical Center near downtown Los Angeles.
“We need to put more emphasis on African American men taking more responsibility for their health,” said Ron Beavers, outreach coordinator at the T.H.E. (To Help Everyone) Clinic in the Crenshaw district, where the exams are being given.
Cary Presant, a medical oncologist at St. Vincent, said that one out of every eight African American men will contract prostate cancer, compared to one out of 12 in the general male population. In addition, the mortality rate is much higher for black males because the disease is often detected later.
The test itself, a rectal examination, is “a simple procedure and it’s a necessary procedure,” said Ridley-Thomas, who got a clean bill of health.
Information: (213) 295-6571.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
