The second annual “Knock Prostate Cancer Out of the Park” event, a collaboration between Montefiore Einstein, the New York Yankees and the nonprofit Fans for the Cure, advanced our core commitment to promote equitable access to healthcare in the communities we serve. A special guest appearance by former Yankee and World Series Most Valuable Player Hideki Matsui really made this event a home run!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxRhZR1lQsE 

“A lot of men do not go to the doctor until they develop a problem that impacts them; screening rates for prostate cancer in the Bronx are really low,” said Kelly Bottger, Director, Urology, Montefiore Einstein. “Having this very simple blood draw available to men in the community is a big win toward early detection.”

Early screening with a simple blood test can detect 95% of prostate cancer at its most treatable stage, when it’s confined to the prostate. In the United States, Black men are 60% more likely than white men to be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and twice as likely to die from it. Promoting awareness and engagement in diverse communities is critical to reducing these disparities and improving patient outcomes. 

Nine men were found to have elevated PSA; a qualified healthcare provider called with these results within a week of the event to ensure each individual understood the results and recommended next steps and received personalized support.

The screening event was a collaborative effort involving about 75 volunteers from the Montefiore Einstein departments of Urology, Pathology and Phlebotomy; the Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center and its Bronx Oncology Living Daily (BOLD) program; and Information Technology, which provided laptops, set up Wi-Fi connections at the stadium and linked providers to the Epic system for patient registration and lab orders.

Creating an Epic workflow for the phlebotomists made the event “almost turnkey,” Bottger said.

The 174 men screened during the event consisted of fans attending the game, along with New York Police Department officers assigned to the game, Yankees organization employees and Montefiore Einstein associates who attended the event. All men aged 45 and older were eligible for screening, while those between ages 40 and 45 who expressed interest were asked several questions about their background and family history to evaluate their individual risk and determine if screening was appropriate.

“Making sure that the participants had a quick and easy experience is what helped us reach as many people as possible,” said Crystal Santos, Administrative Specialist, Urology, Montefiore Einstein. 

“It’s not common knowledge that prostate cancer screening doesn’t require a physical exam,” said Bottger, but Yankee fans helped to literally amplify that message. “Men at the stadium  were encouraging other fans, ‘Come get screened! It's just a blood draw!’”

Urology and Pathology clinicians and BOLD volunteers were on hand to provide information about prostate cancer, answer questions about the screening process, share resources and explain how men would receive their test results. Screenings were completely free for participants and those screened received two free tickets to a select 2025 Yankees game. next steps and received personalized support.

This event is part of Montefiore Einstein’s dedication to exceptional care for prostate cancer. Our guidance and leading-edge treatment options contributed to our ranking in the top 1% of all United States hospitals for cancer care. Our team of renowned specialists uses a unique approach to prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment that’s designed to help men get from uncertainty to a diagnosis quickly and provide them with an individualized care plan.

Learn more about prostate cancer care at Montefiore Einstein.