Sam's Club® Offers Free Men's Health Screening Event

BENTONVILLE, Ark., May 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- June is Men's Health Month and with Father's Day just around the corner, Sam's Club Pharmacy locations invite you to show fathers and grandfathers how much you care by ensuring they are happy and healthy. Sam's Club observes Men's Health Month by offering free Men's Health Screenings on Saturday, June 9 from 11 a.m. to 3.p.m. Members and the public will receive a Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test* to screen for accelerated PSA protein levels in the blood, which is a symptom of benign prostate enlargement and/or prostate cancer. Additional free screenings include body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure test**, with the total offering valued at up to $150.

Half of men over the age of 50, and 90 percent of men over the age of 80 will experience symptoms of an enlarged prostate. An enlarged prostate can signify various illnesses and even be an early warning sign of cancer. About 1 in 6 men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime.*** Prostate cancer, however, can be treated if caught early so it is important for men to be routinely screened.

Sam's Club member Gary Wackler from Eden, N.C. participated in last year's free PSA screening and said about his test results, "My PSA level was 8, which is not good. By the time I [saw] a doctor six or eight weeks later, my level was 15." He explains, "There are all sorts of reasons why a PSA level can be elevated, but in my case it turned out to be an aggressive prostate cancer. Without Sam's Club, I might have gone another year without a PSA test. That PSA screening may very well have saved my life."

"Life-changing experiences like Mr. Wackler's remind me why Sam's Club continues to invest in free health and wellness screenings to our communities every month," said Jill Turner-Mitchael, senior vice president, Sam's Club Health and Wellness. "Sam's Club has provided more than one million free screenings since March 2011, and we continue to explore ways for our communities to manage their health needs with the convenience and value our members deserve."

On July 14, Sam's Club supports our communities with free health screenings focused on healthy aging. In the meantime, licensed professional Sam's Club pharmacists are always available to support their communities with preventative health and wellness solutions, one on one smoking cessation counseling and low prices on the medications patients need. Contact your local club or visit SamsClub.com/healthyliving for participation information.

For more information about basic lifestyle choices to help manage men's health and for the rest of Mr. Wackler's story, read the May/June issue of the exclusive bi-monthly wellness magazine published by Sam's Club, Healthy Living Made Simple magazine (circ: 8 million).

About Sam's Club®

Sam's Club®, a division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), is the nation's eighth largest retailer and a leading membership warehouse club offering superior products and services to more than 47 million members in clubs across the U.S., as well as in Brazil, China and Mexico. Members save an average of 34 percent over traditional retailers. To learn more about Savings Made Simple®, visit SamsClub.com, and look for Sam's Club on Twitter, Facebook and our mobile and iPad® apps.

*PSA tests are limited to the first 75 participants at each Club location with a Pharmacy.
**BMI and blood pressure tests are limited to the first 50 participants at each location.
***From the American Cancer Society http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/ProstateCancer/DetailedGuide/prostate-cancer-key-statistics

SOURCE Sam's Club