SPRINGFIELD, IL – Dr. John R. Lumpkin, state public health director, today announced $263,600 has been awarded to 11 agencies to promote screening and educational activities associated with prostate and testicular cancers. "

About one in five males will develop prostate cancer in his lifetime," Dr. Lumpkin said. "Prostate cancer screenings can detect problems early, allowing these men to live longer, healthier lives."

The competitive grants are part of the Department's Prostate and Testicular Cancer program, which was created and first funded by the Illinois General Assembly in 1999. The agencies will offer free prostate and testicular cancer screenings and educational programs.

Targeted populations are uninsured and underinsured men 50 years of age and older and those 40 to 50 years of age who are at high risk for prostate cancer. Grants were awarded to the following agencies:

• Whiteside County Prostate Cancer Awareness Program, $21,000
• Macon County Prostate and Testicular Cancer Awareness Program, $50,000
• Project Cooperates - Rush Medical Center, Chicago, $49,800
• Evanston Prostate Cancer Education and Awareness Program, $7,000
• White Crane Prostate and Testicular Cancer Education and Awareness Program, Chicago, $50,000
• Know Your PSA - Livingston County Health Department, $33,000
• LaSalle County Health Department, $25,800
• Be A Man: For Life Program, Henry County Health Department, $5,000
• Macoupin County Health Department, Prostate and Testicular Cancer Awareness and Screening, $5,700
• P.A.S.S. (Providing Awareness and Screening Services), Crawford County Health Department, $12,000
• Egyptian Health Department, $4,300

"Cancer screenings are important tools that can identify cancers while they are still localized and are more easily treated," Dr. Lumpkin said. "However, no single test is completely accurate in detecting cancer. Men also should see their physicians on a regular basis for a complete physical."

Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in American men (excluding skin cancer) and claims the life of approximately 1,800 Illinois men each year. African-American men, who are about one-third more likely to develop prostate cancer than white men, have the highest incident ratio for prostate cancer in the world.