Urologist Dr. Thwaites wants Federation’s men to take advantage of free Prostate Screening Clinic on Nevis
Dr. Thwaite’s call came when he was interviewed on the Ministry of Health’s programme “Health Matters” aired on Nevis Television Channel 8 on January 10, with sharp focus on men’s health in particular prostate health. He stated there was a decline in the prevalence of prostate cancer on Nevis, since the annual screening clinics commenced.
“The incidence and prevalence of prostate cancer in Nevis has dropped considerably in comparison to places that don’t do screenings and in reference, I am saying it’s very limited screening that they are doing over there [St. Kitts]
“What I have found is more and more when I see a patient from St. Kitts who comes over to Nevis for biopsy with an elevated PSI we do find cancer almost nine out of 10, those patients would come back with a positive cancer inside the prostate. So in a nutshell, the screening has done wonderfully for the Nevis population. We have seen less and less prostate cancer and more and more people are coming out for the examination, more and more people feel comfortable getting the examination and checking their penis,” he said.
The Prostate Screening Clinic will commence at 7a.m. for registration while tests would be carried out from 8 a.m. to midday.
Dr. Thwaites will be accompanied by Dr. Tasha Cooke, a consultant Urologist at the Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay, Jamaica. She also has a private practise at the Montego Bay Hospital and Urology Centre. She was born in Jamaica and received her medical degree as well as specialised training in Urology at the University of the West Indies and the University of Miami. She did a fellowship in Urologic Reconstruction, Female Urology and Incontinence at the University of Miami.
Dr. Daniel Caruso is a Board Certified Adult Urologist at the Jupiter Medical Centre in Florida. He has completed subspecialty training in female urology, pelvic floor reconstruction and complex voiding dysfunction for both men and women. Jupiter Medical Centre recently named Dr. Caruso as the “Physician of the Year” for 2011.
In addition to Drs. Thwaites, Caruso and Cooke, Dr. Brian Cohen who will join the team and would be returning for the clinics for the third time. He has been practising at the Victoria Urological Associates in North Carolina since June 2008 and is a trained Urologist with specialised training in Female Urology, Incontinence, Neurology and Voiding Dysfunction.
The team would be assisted by volunteers from the American University of Antigua while blood testing would be performed at a specially discounted rate by Bio-Medical Laboratory.
Dr. Thwaites also continues to attract sponsors over the years, whose contributions have made the screening clinics possible.