March 29, 2024

Spotlight Is on Prostate Cancer at CSM

CSM Prostate Cancer Awareness

Wellness, Aquatics Center Will Light It Blue, Hold Zumbathon to Raise Awareness 

September is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. The College of Southern Maryland’s Leonardtown Campus will light up Building D, the Wellness and Aquatics Center, blue this week until Sept. 23. In addition, CSM offered an Aqua Zumbathon class from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, to further raise awareness. The event was open to all aquatics center members and their guests.

Light blue is the color for prostate cancer awareness.

Information on prostate cancer and screening along with blue ribbons will be available at the wellness center during the week to show support as well, said Deanna C. Rothstein, aquatics and community services coordinator at the Leonardtown Campus.

Other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men. The American Cancer Society’s estimates for prostate cancer in the United States for 2015 are 220,800 new cases of prostate cancer and 27,540 deaths from the disease.

“It’s estimated one in seven American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime,” Rothstein said. “That’s one in seven dads, sons, brothers, husbands, grandfathers, uncles, cousins and friends. Only 5 to 10 percent of prostate cancers are genetic so we have a huge opportunity to educate younger men on prevention and risk reduction, and stop cancer before it starts.”

As part of the nationwide #lightitblue initiative, the Leonardtown Campus will be lighting the Aquatics and Wellness Center in blue to spread the message of prostate cancer education and prevention and how to minimize risks to young men, honor the more than 2.9 million American survivors and provide comfort to those who have lost loved ones.

“This simple act can have a powerful ripple effect throughout our community,” Rothstein said.

The nonprofit Blue Cure Foundation will share the support with its Facebook followers of 128,000 prostate cancer patient advocates and health care workers.

“The power of social media allows our participation to influence others,” Rothstein said.

For more information on the events at the Leonardtown Campus, call Rothstein at 240-725-5377 or email [email protected]. Learn more about Blue Cure’s efforts here.

For more about the College of Southern Maryland, visit their Leader member page.

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