Men in Baton Rouge attended free health screenings on Saturday at two separate events focused on men's health.

One event, hosted by Mary Bird Perkins, provided prostate and colorectal cancer screenings at a barbershop. At Pennington Biomedical, attendees could check blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes, and learn about mental health alongside other available tests and screenings.

Attendee Malcolm Meyer said the combination of services makes it easier for men to take the first step.

“I think this was a comfortable setting for men to come out and sit down and have their tests done, and if there was anything that was out of sync or not normal, these professionals would immediately tell you, need to go and see your doctor,’” Meyer said.

Meyer stated the goal is to get men comfortable talking about both physical and mental health. Another attendee, Derrick Lee, suggested men often prioritise work over their health and noted that some may lack insurance or be afraid to see a doctor.

Carl Jones, who is now 10 years cancer-free after surviving prostate cancer, said his doctor pushed him to get checked. Jones now returns for screenings every year.

“Never again, so I advise every man, I don’t care what color you are, go get your prostate checked,” Jones said.