Skinner's Barbershop hosts free health screenings

Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center will host its 12th annual Barbershop Bash at Skinner’s Barber Shop here, offering free prostate screenings 9 a.m.-noon Saturday.
And the cancer center will also be distributing free colorectal take-home tests to signal possible signs of colon cancer.
The event is in recognition of September being dubbed as National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Skinner’s Barber Shop is located at 1001 Railroad Ave. The screenings are open to all men regardless of race, and the colorectal kits will be distributed to men and women of any ethnicity.
Hope Jones, Mary Bird Perkins Bayou regional manager, said this free community event will offer educational resources on prevention and early detection, in addition to the screenings.
“Over the last decade, Skinner’s Barbershop has been a trusted ambassador and partner to the Cancer Center, advocating for men in the community they serve to stay up to date on preventative screenings,” Jones said. “Stakeholders with deep local ties, like Skinner’s, allow us to reach more underserved populations.”
Joining Skinner’s since day one of this endeavor is Clarence Robinson Jr., director of the Morgan City and Berwick Housing Authority. Robinson’s fraternity, the Omicron Psi Lambda graduate Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha River Parishes, climbed on board a few years ago.
“Prostate cancer is a leading killer of all men, especially African-American men, but early detection is a key into stopping this monster that can spread throughout our bodies,” he said.
“Our brothers have realized this and have taken it up as one of our service missions. Yes, a lot of men have issues with the physical aspect of this test, the rectal exam, but fellas, we’re in a do or die situation, especially if you’re 45 years of age, or older.”
Robinson explained that Saturday’s tests will include the rectal exam as well as a Blood PSA Test, but Mary Bird Perkins provides a mobile unit for that day, with private exam rooms.
Appointments are required for all screenings. To make an appointment, call 985-239-5739 or visit pogo.marybird.com. If any abnormality is found, a nurse navigator will assist screening participants with the next steps.
Colorectal cancer remains one of the most common cancers in both men and women and is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, due in part to low testing rates, according to the American Cancer Society. Louisiana is expected to see 2,560 new colorectal cancer diagnoses in 2023 and 870 deaths.
Early detection is critical in the fight against colorectal cancer. The five-year survival rate for colorectal cancer is 91% if found at the local stage. However, only 38% of colorectal cancer cases are diagnosed at an early stage.
Behind skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis for men, with roughly one in eight men being diagnosed in their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society.
Prostate cancer is expected to be the most diagnosed cancer in Louisiana in 2023, with 4,970 anticipated new cases, accounting for roughly 17% of all new diagnoses.
The 10th annual Barbershop Bash event is made possible by sponsor Aetna and partners, Skinner’s Barbershop, the Louisiana Department of Health and the Omicron Psi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.