Police officers, firefighters and emergency medical workers from across the St. Louis region will be offered free prostate cancer screenings Sept. 19 as part of a health fair aimed at making preventive care easier for first responders.
The “Give Me 10!” First Responders Health Fair and Prostate Cancer Screening Event will be held at Central Middle School, 9800 Patricia Barkalow Drive, Moline Acres. The event is organized by The Empowerment Network, a North St. Louis-based prostate cancer advocacy organization.
The health fair is being held during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and is believed to be the first in the region to offer prostate cancer screenings specifically for first responders, organizers say.
The screenings will use a prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, blood test. The event also will offer metabolic testing, health education and other wellness resources for first responders and their families.
“Access is everything in preventive care,” said Dr. Kendra Holmes, president and CEO of Affinia Healthcare. “When we bring free screenings directly to the people who need them, we catch disease earlier and save lives.”
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among U.S. men other than skin cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates about 333,830 men will be diagnosed with the disease nationwide in 2026 and about 36,320 will die from it. About 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed during his lifetime.
The burden is particularly high among Black men. The American Cancer Society reports that Black men have a prostate cancer incidence rate 67% higher than White men and are more than twice as likely to die from the disease.
The focus on first responders also comes amid research into occupational cancer risks, particularly among firefighters. Federal researchers have found that firefighters can be exposed to cancer-causing chemicals through smoke and other hazardous substances encountered on the job. A large federal study of nearly 30,000 career firefighters found higher-than-expected rates of several cancers, including prostate cancer among firefighters younger than 65.
“Every day our first responders answer the call to protect others,” Moline Acres Police Chief Ja-Maal Davis said. “This health fair is our opportunity to answer the call for them by promoting wellness, early detection and healthy careers.”
The Empowerment Network was founded by Mellve Shahid Sr., a prostate cancer survivor who has worked for years to increase awareness of the disease and access to screening in the St. Louis area.
“Moline Acres is proud to host the kickoff for Prostate Cancer Awareness Month and welcome police officers, firefighters and EMS professionals from across our entire region,” Moline Acres Mayor Michele DeShay said. “We encourage every first responder in the St. Louis area to give us 10 minutes of their time.”
The Sept. 19 health fair is being held in partnership with Home State Health, the American Cancer Society, Affinia Healthcare, the Program for the Elimination of Cancer Disparities, Siteman Cancer Center, WashU Medicine and BJC HealthCare. First responders can register by calling The Empowerment Network at 314-385-0998.