Man Van checks in on Gleichen

By Tyler Lowey, Times Reporter

The Hamlet of Gleichen took full advantage of some free health care, cookies and juice boxes.
The Man Van made its stop Aug. 24 at Gleichen’s ATB Financial office to offer free checkups. The van makes stops in all communities in Alberta, offering free prostate cancer checkups.
“We all know the traditional method for testing – turn and cough – but this is just a simple blood test. It takes a maximum of 10 minutes and you can find out if you are at risk for prostate cancer,” said Mark Flebotte, agent with ATB. “This form of testing is a lot less invasive.”
The van was active for three hours that afternoon. According to Tara Adams, ATB corporate wellness manager, by serving an estimated 15 patients it’s believed Gleichen surpassed the previous high for per-capita usage by Sylvan Lake one week earlier.
Covered in a painted mural of the different landscapes of Alberta, the van is one of two vehicles in constant motion, travelling all across the province. A smaller version of the Man Van is used in Calgary and Edmonton to accommodate maneuvering through downtown regions.
Inside, health care professionals administer the tests. The van can treat two patients at a time comfortably, three if needed.
The larger version of the van that called Gleichen home for an afternoon also carries a testing lab in the back, which can provide the patient with results in less than 15 minutes.
“We love the idea of the van and how it can get into communities that might not have their own doctor,” said Liz Stretch, ATB chief people officer.
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the most common cancer for Canadian men and the third leading cause of death, affecting approximately one in every seven men.
Men between the ages of 40 and 80 were eligible for the test. The Man Van has been circulating the province for more than six years and occasionally hears success stories that come from their effort.
“We take great pride in helping out people in the community. We just had an individual reach out to us and say that saved his life. He got tested with our van and found out he was at risk. He spoke with us six months after the fact and told us the great news,” said Stretch. “It’s those kinds of stories that make us feel like we are doing something impactful here.”
The van was supposed to be in Gleichen last fall but had to reschedule because of the snowstorm in September. The van has also been in Strathmore, most recently two years ago.
For anyone who missed an opportunity to get tested and wants to know more information about the Man Van, ATB encourages them to check out future tour dates on their website (prostatecancercentre.ca/manvan).