September is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about prostate cancer and generate support for those affected by the disease.
The observance, launched in 1999, is held every year in North America by health experts, health advocates, and individuals concerned with men’s prostate health and prostate cancer.
The month serves the purpose of:
•Increasing public awareness of the importance of prostate health and prostate cancer awareness
•Providing easily accessible prostate health screenings and prostate cancer screenings
•Educating about risk factors and symptoms of prostate health and prostate cancer
•Advocating for further research on prostate health issues and prostate cancer
In St. Louis, The Empowerment Network, Inc. (TEN), a prostate cancer awareness and advocacy nonprofit organization, has been in the forefront of championing the annual national awareness month since the organization’s inception in 2008.
The founder and president of The Empowerment Network, Mellve Shahid Sr., a 16-year prostate cancer survivor, said the annual September observance is a great time to “create awareness, celebrate prostate cancer survivorship and to remember the men who lost their lives to this disease.”
“God has blessed the mission of TEN and organization itself to encompass all of these factors and many more over the last 15 years of our existence,” Shahid said. “I’m proud to be a member of this amazing organization of men surviving this disease. Long live TEN and the families that we serve.”
As Shahid said, this year’s awareness month has special significance. The Empowerment Network is celebrating its “Crystal” Anniversary with a plethora of activities to mark both occasions.
Activities include:
- Biker’s Rally, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Saturday, September 2 at Da City Event Center, 8927 Riverview Drive. The “STL Ride for Prostate Cancer Awareness” will feature about 200 bikers riding the streets of The STL promoting the awareness of this disease. Free testing at the end of the ride.
- All Star Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep/Ram prostate cancer screenings, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, September 16 at the dealership, 11503 St. Charles Rock Road in Bridgeton. (Featured Image)
All Star Dodge owner, Justin Akin, said one of the missions at the dealership is giving back to the community. Hosting the screen event along with The Empowerment Network is important.
“Being in business for 44 years in St. Louis, we make it our priority to use our dealership as a vehicle to assist those in need. We know men procrastinate going to the doctor and getting checkups, so by having these screenings at the dealership we are trying to make it easy for men to stay healthy.”
Other activities for the month are:
- Radio commercials on WFUN 96.3 FM
- The Empowerment Network’s Crystal Anniversary Blue Tie Gala and Fundraiser, September 23 at Orlando Gardens Event Center. 2050 Dorsett Road. This is the organization’s major annual fundraiser and will be its first since 2019, the year before the pandemic.
- The annual ZERO Run/Walk is set for Saturday, September 30th in Tower Grove Park. ZERO – The End of Prostate Cancer, is a national non-profit organization dedicated to prostate cancer education, testing, patient support, research, and advocacy. The Empowerment Network has the most participants every year in the run/walk event. On-site registration at 8 a.m. Walk/Run at 9am Register online at www.ZeroCancer.Run/Stlouis.
For more information about September’s National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, The Empowerment Network, call 314.385.0998, and visit www.TENStl.org.
