Mercy Health to host Man Up!, a free health expo

CINCINNATI, Ohio (July 28, 2016) -- Mercy Health – a Catholic healthcare ministry serving Ohio and Kentucky, is hosting Man Up!, a men’s health expo, from 5-9 p.m. on Friday, Aug.19, at its Bond Hill Home Office, 1701 Mercy Health Place (formerly Showcase Cinema Drive), Cincinnati, OH 45237.

Presented by the Urology Group and Johnson & Johnson, the event features health screenings, a complimentary light meal and keynote presentation from NFL Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis.

Admission is free but attendees must register in advance at mercy.com/mercymanup/index.html and participate in the health screenings to hear Jerome Bettis speak. The following health screenings will take place from 5-7 p.m.:

• Blood pressure: High blood pressure can cause strokes, heart disease, kidney conditions and eye problems.
• Body fat: High percentages of visceral and subcutaneous fat are linked to cardiac disease, inflammatory diseases, diabetes and other health problems.
• Blood glucose: Everyone age 45 and older should be screened every three years to determine if they are at risk for pre-diabetes or diabetes.
• Cholesterol: High cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart disease, has no symptoms. The only way to detect it is through a blood test.
• Prostate: Prostate cancer can be found early through a blood test that measures a man’s prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. The American Cancer Society recommends African-American men begin screening at age 45.
• Colon: Regular colorectal cancer screening is one of the most powerful weapons against colorectal cancer. Excluding skin cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States.
• Vision: Routine eye exams are and can help detect glaucoma and chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

“Men die at higher rates than women from the top 10 causes of death and are 100% less likely than women to have an annual physical exam,” said Jeffrey W. Zipkin, MD of The Urology Group. “The screenings we’re providing at Man Up! are vital, valuable and could ultimately help save someone’s life.”

“There is a significant health gap in our country that is both gender- and race-based and African American men have the lowest life expectancy of any group,” said Mercy Health Physician Keith Melvin, MD, Internal Medicine provider. “Mercy Health is addressing that disparity by hosting this very special men’s health expo. I urge African American men in our community to take advantage of this free health event and register today.”

Mercy Health (formerly Catholic Health Partners) is the largest health system in Ohio and one of the largest health systems in the United States, employing more than 34,000 employees in Ohio and Kentucky. With $6 billion in assets, Mercy Health operates about 450 health facilities, including 23 hospitals, eight senior living communities, five hospice programs and seven home health agencies. Its accountable care organization, Mercy Health Select, is one of the top 10 ACOs in the country for Medicare Shared Savings, generating more than $15 million in savings in 2014. In keeping with its mission, Mercy Health provides about $1 million per day in community benefit services. Mercy Health is a founding member of Health Innovations Ohio, which focuses on providing health services that result in higher quality, better health and greater value. For more information, visit www.mercy.com or connect with Mercy Health on Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest and Twitter (@LivingMercyHlth).