September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, also known as National Prostate Health Month, an annual opportunity to raise awareness of the disease and identify funding resources for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship and cure as well as to support those affected by prostate cancer. Plan your outreach and activities now with some helpful tools from the George Washington University (GW) Cancer Center.
Addressing the Need for LGBTQI-Affirming Care: A Focus on Sexual and Gender Minority Prostate Cancer Survivors is a guide for health professionals to learn about the unique challenges of LGBTQI+ patients in the health care setting. A companion online course is available through the Online Academy (just register using enrollment code SGMCARE).
We also offer prostate cancer fact sheets for men who have sex with men and transgender women or gender non-conforming individuals. These resources can help those diagnosed with prostate cancer talk with their health care team and take charge of their care.
Interested in clinical follow-up care for prostate cancer survivors? Check out the Cancer Survivorship E-Learning Series for Primary Care Providers, which offers a module specifically about prostate cancer. The companion National Cancer Survivorship Resource Center Toolkit and slides can assist providers in implementing clinical practice guidelines for cancer survivorship care, and also specifically cover prostate cancer. Patients who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer can use this helpful checklist to ask their provider about long-term and late side effects associated with treatment.
Are you looking for ways to promote Prostate Cancer Awareness Month on social media but don’t know where to start? We recently released an updated Prostate Cancer Awareness Month Social Media Toolkit. Updates to the toolkit include new and exciting suggestions for using Pinterest, Snapchat and Reddit to promote your cause. This CDC-funded resource was developed to help comprehensive cancer control programs, coalitions and other stakeholders strengthen their communication efforts. The toolkit is complete with evidence-informed communication strategies, pre-written Tweets and Facebook posts, and tools and resources for strengthening your social media strategy.
September is also a great time to make sure you and your loved ones are up-to-date on prostate cancer screenings. The GW Cancer Center offers free prostate cancer screenings on the fourth Friday of every month from 8:30AM to 11:30AM by appointment. Learn more and register today. We also offer a prostate cancer educational group on the second Tuesday of each month from 6:00PM to 7:00PM. Learn more.
