INNISFAIL - Canada's first and only mobile men's health clinic, The Man Van, made a recent stop in Innisfail.
The Man Van, which came to Innisfail last month, travels to communities across Alberta and provides free PSA (prostate specific antigen) blood tests to men for early detection of prostate cancer. It also helps educate the public and raise awareness about the importance of early detection.
"It's a simple blood test (that checks the protein level in the blood)," said Joanne Skibsted, medical lab assistant with The Man Van. "If the prostate is irritated by anything, it will emit more proteins in the blood and there will be increase in protein count," she added. "It's an indicator that there's something going on that's irritating the prostate."
One in seven men will be affected by prostate cancer, she noted, adding that men between the ages of 40 and 80 should be tested and that if caught early it is treatable.
"There's different forms of prostate cancer but if you're young and you get an aggressive (prostate cancer) it's curable," said Skibsted.
About 25 Innisfail and area men visited The Man Van. One of them was Kent Larsen who drove from Rocky Mountain House for the blood test.
"Some friends of mine who are my age (49) have prostate cancer," said Larsen, noting it was his first visit to the portable health clinic. "I think every community should bring The Man Van in. I'm getting checked once a year from now on."
The Man Van is run solely by private donations and sponsors, said driver Steve Wilson, noting there are two vans in the province -- one for Calgary and one for rural Alberta. They have operated since 2009 and 2012 respectively.
"This (Man Van) gets them in the conversation of looking after their body, specifically prostate health," said Wilson.
For more information visit www.prostatecancercentre.ca or call 403-943-8888.
Joanne Skibsted, medical lab assistant with The Man Van
"There's different forms of prostate cancer but if you're young and you get an aggressive (prostate cancer) it's curable."
