Evergreen Hospital Medical Center is offering free prostate screenings from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept.

25, at Evergreen Primary Care Center Redmond, 8301 161st Ave. NE, Suite 308.

The free tests, part of the National Football League’s "Know Your Stats about Prostate Cancer" and the American Urological Association Foundation, are in recognition of National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Call (425) 899-3291 for information or to make an appointment. Screening, which takes about 20 minutes, includes a brief physical exam and a blood test. This screening is not recommended for men currently under the care of an urologist. Participants will receive the results in about two weeks.

The Urological Association recommends that men should have regular screening tests beginning at the age of 40. The prostate is the small gland below a man’s bladder that produces fluid for semen. Prostate cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death in males, is the most common non-skin cancer in men in the United States. One in six men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime.

Symptoms include: difficulty in urination, difficulty emptying the bladder, pain or burning during urination and/or pain in the back, hips or pelvis that doesn’t go away.

In addition to the free screenings, Evergreen will be raising awareness of prostate cancer this fall with events that include a tailgate lunch for employees and visitors on Sept. 23, a blue ribbon campaign, and physician and staff participation in the PACE Race on Oct. 9 in Kirkland.

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