URMC’s 8th Men’s Health Day is set for September 23
Men are living longer than ever, according to recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control, but still lag about five years behind women. To help close the gap on that number, the University of Rochester Medical Center will present the eighth annual Men’s Health Day, a day of information and education for men ages 45 and older, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23, at the Hyatt Regency Rochester Hotel, 125 E. Main St., Rochester.
Genetics play a part, but some of the reasons men don’t live as long as women can be attributed to a few risky behaviors and lack of awareness: smoking, maladaptive persistent cultural beliefs, and denial that prevents them from taking a pro-active approach to their health.
Men’s Health Day offers information and education in an entertaining format. URMC specialists will lead discussions on aging, cardiovascular health, cataract surgery and sleep disorders. The day will also include health screenings, hands-on demonstrations, giveaways, healthy snacks, breakfast and lunch, and deluxe raffle prizes. New this year, attendees can receive an individual analysis of their “gait” since the way they walk can predict the likelihood of a fall. A flu shot clinic will also be available. In 2010, Men’s Health Day sold out, attracting more than 400 men. This year the event will accommodate 500.
Matt Long will give the keynote address. After being crushed by a 20-ton bus and impaled on the handlebar of his bicycle in 2005, Long was given a 1 percent chance to live. A New York City firefighter who worked at Ground Zero, Long will tell the remarkable story of the injuries he sustained and how he was able to summon the courage to fight to recover so that he would once again be able to compete in the triathlons he so enjoyed – a goal no one ever thought possible. Three years later, after 40 surgeries and an exhausting regimen of physical therapy, Long successfully completed the Ironman triathlon in Lake Placid. Long has chronicled his ordeal and grueling recovery in a book titled “The Long Run” and has been featured on Fox News and HBO Real Sports. Men’s Health included him as one of the Top 10 Men of the Year in 2010, and Men’s Fitness designated him as one of the Top 25 Fittest Men in the World in 2010. Long has founded the non-profit I Will Foundation, established to help people overcome adversity and challenges caused by illness or traumatic injury.
Speakers for the breakout sessions include:
· “Screenings by Decade” – Roger Oskvig, M.D., URMC geriatrician andmedical advisor to the long-running PBS health series, Second Opinion, will discuss appropriate screenings for different ages.
· “Understanding Aging” - Robert Mayer, M.D., URMC professor of Urology, will talk about symptoms of aging unique to men and how to treat them.
· “Maintaining Vascular Health” - Michael Singh, M.D., associate professor of Vascular Surgery, director of the University Vein Care Center and director of the Non-Invasive Vascular Laboratory, will cover topics of stroke prevention and circulatory problems, like abdominal aortic aneurysm and peripheral artery disease.
· “See the Facts – the Benefits of Cataract Surgery” - Scott MacRae, M.D., professor of Opthalmology, is director of the Refractive Surgery Center at The Flaum Eye Institute. MacRae is one of the pioneers of Lasik eye surgery and one of a handful of physicians ushering in a new era of vision correction with a technique known as customized ablation.
· “Why America Can’t Sleep – The Impact of Insomnia,” - Jonathan Marcus, M.D., Assistant Professor of Neurology, Strong Sleep Disorders Center, will review the impact, causes, and treatment of insomnia.
Registration will begin Aug. 29, and tickets can be purchased by calling (585) 275-2838. Tickets for the event are $15 and include breakfast, lunch, giveaways, prizes, and free parking at the Hyatt Regency Rochester. The Hyatt Regency Rochester is located at 125 Main St., Rochester, 14604. Visit its website for a map and directions.
Men’s Health Day is presented by the University of Rochester Medical Center. Additional information can be found at Men’s Health Day at www.menshealth.urmc.edu.