Men’s Health Week Is September 26-30

It’s a question that’s been asked before: If you could invest an hour of your time to help ensure a happier, healthier and longer life, would you do it? Men who are Hotel Trades Council members will have the opportunity to answer that question in two weeks.

Men’s Health Week will take place at the Health and Dental Centers from Monday, September 26 through Friday, September 30. All eligible members and their enrolled family are welcome.

As we have noted before, it can be difficult for working men to take time out from their jobs to see about their own health. But that’s one of the major reasons why the Union’s Health and Dental Centers sponsor Men’s Health Week every year. The event allows men who are members of our Union to walk into these facilities without an appointment and get started on the road to good health. It’s an event that can literally save your life.

It’s probable that many men reading this article don’t remember the last time they had their blood pressure checked, their PSA level (an indicator of prostate cancer) tested or their cholesterol measured. But that’s where Men’s Health Week can make a huge difference. The event is designed to make it as easy and convenient as possible for members to get a mini check-up and undergo some quick, painless and very, very valuable tests and screenings.

Remember, no appointments are necessary for men to visit the Health and Dental Centers September 26-30 to take advantage of the benefits offered by this special health and wellness event. Physicians and staff will provide information on nutrition, exercise, diabetes, heart and blood vessel disease, various forms of cancer, weight control, smoking cessation and other important topics. Men who visit the Midtown Dental Center (14 Penn Plaza) can be seen without an appointment for a screening for oral cancer.

As many members already know, previous Men’s Health Week events have been quite successful. Many of our Union’s members have visited the Health Centers each year during this event to receive tests and exams that could help their doctors detect high blood pressure, which is often called the “silent killer,” heart problems, early signs of cancer, or other problems. The theme for this year’s Men’s Health Week is “Get in the Game,” a reference to good health that makes life more relaxing and more fun. It also refers to the patient portals that so many members have praised as a way to set up appointments online, obtain certain lab results and more. If you’re not yet enrolled in the HappyHealthyMe.org portal, Men’s Health Week is the perfect opportunity to do so. You may even use the event to get your flu shot!

We should also note that results from previous Men’s Health Weeks have provided strong evidence of how important it is to detect cancer early. As we have reported many times in the past, it is an absolute fact that previous Men’s Health Weeks have helped saved the lives of some of our members. A number of men who have visited the Health Centers during Men’s Health Week in the previous 15 years learned that their test results indicated early signs of cancer. Because the condition was discovered in the early stages, however, these men were able to receive proper and effective treatment. That is a genuine tribute to the success and effectiveness of the Health Centers’ special events like Men’s Health Week.

There are some other things that everyone should know about men’s health. We’ve reported these facts before, but they are important enough to be repeated:

• Prostate cancer and colon cancer are among the leading causes of death in men.
• Prostate cancer is not rare. There are 350,000 new cases of prostate cancer detected in U.S. men every year.
• The incidents of prostate cancer, testicular cancer and colon cancer among men are rising each year.

But there is also good news. The five-year survival rate for prostate cancer ⎯ when it is detected early ⎯ is better than 99 percent! Survival rates for colon cancer and testicular cancer are also greatly improved through early detection.

These facts show why Men’s Health Week is so important. After all, men who visit the Health Centers September 26-30 can receive tests and an exam that will allow their doctors to detect early signs of prostate, testicular and colon cancer. Men can also have their blood pressure and cholesterol levels tested during Men’s Health Week. Heart and blood vessel disease is the number one killer of men in the U.S. and early detection of these ailments can result in proper treatment that will help men live longer, healthier lives.

There will also be valuable information on nutrition and exercise. While medical science has long known that proper nutrition and regular exercise can lower risk for heart and blood vessel problems, it has recently become clear that they can also lower risk for various forms of cancer.

There are many other things of value men can learn during Men’s Health Week at the Health and Dental Centers. Men can pick the day and time and just walk in without an appointment and take advantage of all that this event has to offer.

Please make an investment in your health by visiting one of the Health Centers (or the 14 Penn Plaza Dental Center for an oral cancer screening) on any day between from Monday, September 26 up to and including Friday, September 30 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Here are the locations and phone numbers of the Union’s Health and Dental Centers:

Harlem Health Center: 133 Morningside Avenue (212-923-2525)
Midtown Health Center: 773-775 Ninth Avenue (212-586-1550)
Queens Health Center: 37-11 Queens Blvd. (718-361-5100)
Brooklyn Health Center: 68-80 Schermerhorn Street (718-858-7200)
Midtown Dental (for oral cancer screenings): 14 Penn Plaza (212-695-8204)