Health day at I.P. library

Employees of South Nassau Communities Hospital and representatives from Senator Dean Skelos’ office offered free PSA testing as part of Health Day at the Island Park Library on Sept. 29. According to the National Cancer Institute Prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, is a protein produced by cells of the prostate gland. The Prostate-specific antigen [PSA] test measures the level of PSA in a man’s blood. For this test, a blood sample is sent to a laboratory for analysis. The results are usually reported as nanograms of PSA per milliliter of blood. The blood level of PSA is often elevated in men with prostate cancer, and the FDA originally approved the PSA test in 1986 to monitor the progression of prostate cancer in men who had already been diagnosed with the disease.

Library director Jessica Koenig was pleased with the turnout, “This is the first Health Day at the Library. As with many things, it was a wonderful idea from Joe Pontecorvo! We have had blood pressure screenings in the past, but this is more comprehensive. He and I then approached South Nassau Communities Hospital about doing something and they suggested bringing their C.A.T.C.H. 2015 program here to the library. We had about 40 attendees. We intend to continue to do Health Day and will expand it going forward.”