BP MARKOWITZ TO LAUNCH “TAKE YOUR MAN TO THE DOCTOR” NEW “BECAUSE” CAMPAIGN WITH FREE HEALTH SCREENINGS

Free health screenings for men at Brooklyn Borough Hall Plaza on September 17

 11:30 A.M.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
BROOKLYN BOROUGH HALL PLAZA
209 JORALEMON STREET
BETWEEN COURT & ADAMS STREETS
DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN

On Monday, September 17th, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and Deputy Borough President Yvonne Graham will kick off the sixth annual “Take Your Man to the Doctor” day with free health screenings at Borough Hall. “Take Your Man to the Doctor” is a call to action for men of all ages, ethnicities, and economic levels to regularly visit a doctor, and for the women and men who love them to help make it happen.

From 12pm until 3pm, participating Brooklyn hospitals, clinics, and healthcare professionals will offer free health screenings for asthma, blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, glucose, glaucoma and other conditions, along with making important health information available onsite.

Borough President Markowitz and Deputy Borough President Yvonne Graham, a public health professional herself, will unveil the “Because” campaign emphasizing all the reasons to “Take your man to the doctor.” Why? Because men are at very high risk of diseases like cancer, heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes—yet they are only half as likely as women to have a personal physician.

“We don’t care how you do it. Bribe your man with a special healthy meal at home or at one of Brooklyn’s renowned eateries—Nag him, drag him, cajole him, entice him—just get that man to one of our free screenings,” said Borough President Markowitz. “This year more than any other, from my heart, I am urging everyone to take steps to ensure your healthy future and visit the doctor.”

“A new report by the NYC Department of health tells us that up to one million New Yorkers, 700,000 of whom are employed, lack health insurance,” said Brooklyn Deputy Borough President Yvonne Graham. “We know also that one in five men is without insurance, compared to one in eight women—and that Hispanics, Asians, and African-Americans are disproportionately affected. We must continue to fight for a solution to this crisis. But as the report also makes clear, about a quarter of the city’s uninsured are eligible for benefits they are not claiming—which means we must redouble our efforts to raise awareness about accessibility to life-saving screenings. This year, as we take our message to the streets and implore the men of Brooklyn to visit a doctor, we are also promoting programs that provide critical lifelines to the uninsured. Of course, along with eating right, exercising, and not smoking, doctor visits should be a top health priority for all. And we ask anyone with a man in your life—a father, brother, son, partner, spouse, significant other, or friend—please, get your man to a doctor BECAUSE that way he will live a longer and healthier life.”

Borough President Markowitz will be joined at the kickoff event by participating “Take Your Man” and “Because” partners NYC Dept. of Health, Affinity Health Plan, Fidelis Care, MetroPlus, Lutheran Medical Center, Long Island College Hospital, Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, Wyckoff  Heights Medical Center, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brookdale University Medical Center, Kings County Medical Center, The Brooklyn Hospital, Woodhull Medical Center, Preferred Health Partners, Maimonides Medical Center, Interfaith Medical Center, Coney Island Hospital, Pfizer, WellCare of New York.