New Morning Star Baptist Church

Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer (other than non-melanoma skin cancer) diagnosed in men in the United States. Furthermore, it’s the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men, after lung cancer, in the U.S.

Facts

• · 299,010 new cases of prostate cancer are expected to be diagnosed in 2024
• · A man is diagnosed with prostate cancer every 2 minutes
• · 1-in-8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime
• · If you are Black, that number increases by over 75%.
• · Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men
• · 35,250 men are expected to die from prostate cancer in 2024
• · A man dies from prostate cancer every 15 minutes
• · Today, there are more than 3.3 million prostate cancer survivors
• · The relative 5-year survival rate for prostate cancer diagnosed in its earliest stages is over 99%
• · The 5-year survival rate for advanced or metastatic prostate cancer drops to 34%

The American Cancer Society recommends that men have a chance to make an informed decision with their health care provider about whether to be screened for prostate cancer. The decision should be made after getting information about the possible benefits, risks, and uncertainties of prostate cancer screening. The discussion about screening should take place at:

• · Age 50 for men who are at average risk of prostate cancer and are expected to live at least 10 more years
• · Age 45 for men at high risk of developing prostate cancer. This includes African American men and men who have a first-degree relative (father or brother) diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early age (younger than age 65).
• · Age 40 for men at even higher risk (those with more than one first-degree relative who had prostate cancer at an early age)

After this discussion, men who want to be screened should get the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. The digital rectal exam (DRE) may also be done as a part of screening. For more information click links below:

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/prostate-cancer/about.html

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/prostate-

https://www.pcf.org/

https://www.auanet.org/about-us/media-center/press-center/september-is-prostate-cancer-awareness-month

Healthy Aging Month 2024: Shaping the Future of Aging

Health Aging Month is a national multi-media lifestyle platform designed to broaden awareness of the positive aspects of aging and provide inspiration for active men and women over age 45 to improve their physical, mental, social, and financial health. The underlying theme is that it is never too late to achieve a better quality of life. The focus is on passion for life rather than the perils and diseases of adulthood. Healthy Aging is all about what you can do next, how to rede­fine your­self at any stage, and is not about the classic image of “retirement.”

Tips For Healthy Aging 

• Move more, sit less. 
• Diet: Try to cut back on salt, add more fiber to your diet, limit your sugar intake.
• Volunteer: Being of service is an excellent way to bring happiness into your life and not focus on yourself.      
• Beat back loneliness. Don’t wait for the phone to ring. Be proactive and call someone for a lunch date. Set      up a calendar of lunch dates and challenge yourself to have at least two      lunch dates per month (once a week is even better!) 
• Rekindle or follow a new passion. Take a hard look at what you like to do rather than what other people tell      you to do to meet new people. Pick some activities where you might meet      new friends.
• Get a dog. If you don’t have one,  get one and walk. 
• Be realistic about what you canaccomplish. Learn to say no … don’t overwhelm yourself with a to-do list. 
• Plan for your next passage. Capitalize on your career experience and start a new one. Yes, enjoy a      brief “retirement.” Travel and spend more time with family and friends.  Develop new hobbies. Redefining your purpose to maintain a sense of identity and purpose is essential to a healthy lifestyle. It’s not too late!

For more information click links below:

• https://healthyaging.net/healthy-aging-month/
  
•  Free newsletter https://healthyaging.net/healthy-aging-newsletter-signup-form/ Get Healthy Aging® Magazine.

National Sickle Cell Awareness Month

September is National Sickle Cell Awareness Month, designated by Congress to help focus attention on the need for research and treatment of sickle cell disease. Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited blood disorder in which red blood cells may become sickle-shaped and harden. For a baby to be born with sickle cell disease, both parents must carry a sickle cell trait or genes for another hemoglobin like HbC, HbE or beta thalassemia. Sickle cell disease is not contagious, and there is no universal cure.

• • About 1 in 13 African Americans carry the sickle cell trait, and many do not know they have it.
• • An estimated 100,000 people in the U.S. have SCD.
• • Approximately 2,000 babies are born with SCD annually in the U.S.
• • On average, diagnosis is made at birth.
• • People of many ethnic backgrounds can have SCD.
• • Latinos have the second most common incidence in the U.S.
• Sickle cell disease is a global health problem.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• • Donate blood to support transfusions.
• • Advocate for better treatment, education, and research.
• • Educate others about sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait.
• • Get tested for sickle cell trait if you are of African descent and do not know your status.
• • Support SCDAA as we search for a universal cure.