Palmetto Health Teams with Pints for Prostates and PCEC for Free Men’s Health Screenings in Columbia, S.C.

COLUMBIA, S.C. – During the World Beer Festival at the Columbia Convention Center on Jan. 19 visitors to the Pints for Prostates booth can get free information about the importance of early detection in fighting prostate cancer and sign up for a free men’s health screening offered by Palmetto Health.

Palmetto Health, in cooperation with Pints for Prostates and the Prostate Conditions Education Council, will provide free PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) blood testing and DRE (Digital Rectal Exam) screening at men’s health clinics on Jan. 31 from 5:30 to 7p.m. and Feb. 28 from 5:30-7p.m. The screening sessions will be held at Palmetto Health Cancer Health Initiative Clinic, 1801 Sunset Dr. (second floor) in Columbia, S.C. The free screening is available for men who are 40 years or older.

Men can make an appointment for either of the clinics at the Pints for Prostates booth at the World Beer Festival or they can call 803-296-2273 to reserve a spot.

“Pints for Prostates mission is awareness and we thank the World Beer Festival for giving us this chance to reach men through the universal language of beer. The death rate from prostate cancer is down 40 percent in the U.S. since the PSA test came into regular use, but most men don’t know the facts about prostate cancer,” said Rick Lyke, a beer writer who founded Pints for Prostates after successful prostate cancer surgery in 2008. “We truly appreciate Palmetto Health for their support in offering the screening clinics and we are proud to be working with Prostate Conditions Education Council to bring this event to Columbia.”

Prostate cancer screenings take just a few minutes. If you do not live in the Columbia area, PCEC maintains a list of free screening sites online at www.prostateconditions.org or you call toll free 866-4PROST8.

The Pints for Prostates campaign is a registered 501(c)3 charity. This is the fifth year that All About Beer Magazine has provided a booth at the World Beer Festival in Columbia to Pints for Prostates so they can reach men through the universal language of beer. World Beer Festival attendees can make a donation for a chance to enter a drawing for a nine night European Beer Adenture for two to Belgium, Holland and Germany that is being donated by BeerTrips.com. Funds raised at the event fund free screening clinics and help support groups for men diagnosed with the disease.

About Palmetto Health

Palmetto Health, the largest healthcare system in the Midlands and the largest non-governmental employer in South Carolina, is composed of more than 10,000 team members, physicians and volunteers working together to fulfill Palmetto Health’s vision:  to be remembered by each patient as providing the care and compassion we want for our families and ourselves.  The system includes four acute-care hospitals – Palmetto Health Baptist, Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital, Palmetto Health Heart Hospital and Palmetto Health Richland – as well as an expansive physician practice network, dozens of affiliated clinics and specialty care practices, and a 501(c)(3) foundation. Palmetto Health Baptist Parkridge, the region’s newest hospital located in northwest Columbia, is scheduled to open in December 2013. Recognized nationally as one of the best places to work and receive care, Palmetto Health also trains the next generation of physicians through its 23 residency and fellowship programs affiliated with the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. For more information, visit www.PalmettoHealth.org.

About Pints for Prostates

Pints for Prostates is a 501(c)3 a campaign that reaches men through the universal language of beer to encourage them to take charge of their health. The group was founded by prostate cancer survivor and beer writer Rick Lyke in 2008. The grassroots effort raises awareness among men about the importance of regular health screenings and PSA testing by making appearances at beer festivals, social networking and pro bono advertising. According to the National Cancer Institute, 241,740 new prostate cancer cases were diagnosed in the U.S. in 2012. More information is available at www.pintsforprostates.org. Pints for Prostates also has a presence on Facebook and Twitter (@pints4prostates).

About the Prostate Conditions Education Council

A national organization committed to men’s health, the Prostate Conditions Education Council (PCEC) – formally the Prostate Cancer Education Council – is the nation’s leading resource for information on prostate health.  The PCEC is dedicated to saving lives through awareness and the education of men, the women in their lives, as well as the medical community about prostate cancer prevalence, the importance of early detection, and available treatment options, as well as other men’s health issues. The Council – comprised of a consortium of leading physicians, health educators, scientists and prostate cancer advocates – aims to conduct nationwide screenings for men and perform research that will aid in the detection and treatment of prostate conditions.  More information is available at www.prostateconditions.org.  

About The World Beer Festival

All About Beer Magazine has presented almost 30 World Beer Festivals in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida and Virginia since 1996. The World Beer Festival is among the premier beer events in the country, acclaimed by Forbes.com, USA Today and Wired Magazine. The Columbia World Beer Festival returns for its 5th year on Jan. 19, 2013, at the Columbia Convention Center. http://allaboutbeer.com/gather-for-beer/world-beer-festival/columbia-sc/