Right after skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in America. With that in mind the members of the Mu Tau Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. held their first annual 5k walk/run to raise awareness of prostate cancer Saturday in the Grove.
The Mu Tau chapter is a graduate chapter of the fraternity that serves the Monroe and Monroe-adjacent communities.
They partnered with a host of ULM registered student organizations (RSOs) including ULM’s chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., the Mu Lambda chapter.
Blair Guillory, a member of the Mu Lambda chapter said the event was a walk to bring awareness to prostate cancer by educating attendees through various methods.
“We had a prostate cancer check, voter registration, a blood drive, burgers and hot dogs,” Guillory said.
Several simple blood tests were available for free for participants and attendees of the event.
Groups from the ULM Pharmacy school had booths set up and educated people on diabetes and strokes.
The American Cancer Society says about one in nine men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime with the disease being more prevalent among African-American men.
Prostate cancer develops mainly in older men and in African-American men.
According to Mu Tau, the event included a series of free information sessions designed to help prostate cancer patients, their caregivers, those with a family history of the disease, physicians and healthcare providers learn more about the disease and treatment options.
Voter registration, although not related to prostate cancer, was available to attendees. The low voter turnout of young people made voter registration a priority of the Mu Tau chapter.
During the event, participants were allowed to either run or walk as they pleased. While they ran, other attendees at the event were allowed to go around to the different informational booths or just sit and socialize with one another. Music was played, and food was eaten as the runners and walkers made their way back to the Grove.
The members of Mu Tau say this event will be their first of an annual event to raise awareness of prostate cancer, but throughout the year, they will continue to educate people on the subject as well as hosting voter registration events when possible.