Former NFL greatLarry Roberts was formally introduced as the celebrity spokesman for Southeast Alabama Medical Center’s 2009 Community Health Fair for Men.Roberts is a Dothan native and two-time Super Bowl winner with the San Francisco 49er’s. 

“It’s my passionto encourage men to be proactive about their health,” says Roberts. “Afterseeing some of my close friends pass away due to preventable health problems,I’ve made it a priority to tell men about the importance of early screening fordisease. I’m looking forward to a great turnout this year and I hope to seelots of Wiregrass men taking the initiative to stay healthy.”

Roberts, whoplayed on Northview High School’s 1981 state championship team and then forcoaches Paul “Bear” Bryant and Ray Perkins at the University of Alabama beforebeing chosen in the second round  of the1986 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49er’s, is scheduled to appear and signautographs at the health fair. 

The CommunityHealth Fair for Men will be in the Northview HighSchool gymnasium Saturday, August 22 from 8 - 11 a.m. Men’s Health Day includesfree screenings for prostate specific antigen(PSA), vascular, glucose, thyroid, vision, bloodpressure, body fat, and height and weight analysis. The health fair alsoraises awareness of men’s health issues and exposes them to healthy living.This year SAMC requests all participants bring a nonperishable food item to donate the Wiregrass Food Bank. However, theseitems are not required for admittance into the health fair.

To register, callthe Medical Call Center at (334) 712-3336 or 1-800-735-4998.

“In the early1990s, SAMC began offering free PSA screenings for men during September, whichis prostate cancer awareness month,” says Gloria Biddings, SAMC’s healtheducation coordinator. “In 2001, the PSA screening program was renamed to theCommunity Health Fair for Men. The Houston County Health Department, UrologicalAssociates of Dothan and US TOO (prostate cancer support group) partnered withSAMC, and from 2001 forward, the health fair has taken place in the community.”

In2006, more than 232,000 American men were diagnosed with prostate cancer,and more than 30,000 men died from it. African-American men are 65% morelikely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than Caucasian-Americans and aremore than twice as likely to die from it.