CAY HILL--On Saturday, September 27th, St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC), in collaboration with the Positive and Elektralytes Foundations, hosted its annual Men’s Health Day, providing free health screenings for 150 men. Participants were tested for prostate cancer, blood pressure, diabetes, and HIV, underscoring the importance of early detection and prevention.
The event was made possible through partnerships with St. Maarten Laboratory Services (SLS), NAPA Auto, Truck and Marine Parts, SZV Insurances, Guardian Group Dutch Caribbean, FLOW EC, and the SXM AIDS Foundation.
SMMC’s urologists, Dr. Carlos Rojas, Dr. Diego Ramos, and the Urology Department’s newest urologist, Dr. Francisco Pinto, led the prostate cancer screenings. They were joined by local General Practitioner, Dr. Adacia Bourne and SMMC House Officer Dr. Marieke Mensink-Boomsma, who volunteered their time to support this critical initiative.
To ensure accessibility, men were required to complete a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test in advance at community screening events on September 5th and 12th at NAPA on the Illidge Road and in Cole Bay. While most local insurance providers cover PSA testing, SMMC and its partners ensured that uninsured men also received the test at no cost, thanks to an ongoing partnership with SLS. Men who required further evaluation were able to schedule follow-up appointments at SMMC’s Urology Clinic or Radiology Department.
“Every year, this event continues to grow,” said SMMC’s Senior Communications Officer and event organizer, Shari de Riggs. “This success is largely due to the tireless advocacy of our Urologists, Dr. Ramos, Dr. Rojas and Dr. Pinto, combined with the ongoing efforts of the Positive and Elektralytes Foundations and local champions Mr. Michael Ferrier and Mr. Gordon Snow, particularly during the month of September.”
“This event is one of the many ways SMMC gives back to the community,” de Riggs added. “It would not be possible without our dedicated staff volunteers from our Outpatient Department and Social Committee and our corporate partners, including SLS, NAPA, SZV, Guardian Group, FLOW, and the SXM AIDS Foundation.”
Appointments at SMMC’s Urology Department can be made by calling +1 (721) 543-1111 or 910 ext. 1379 (Monday–Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm). PSA testing is available year-round at any SLS location.
Looking ahead, SMMC will host its annual Women’s Health Day on Saturday, October 25th, offering free breast cancer screenings and additional health checks in collaboration with the Positive and Elektralytes Foundations, Guardian Insurances, SZV, FLOW, the American University of the Caribbean and the St. Maarten AIDS Foundation.
https://tribune-site.webflow.io//articles/smmc-screens-150-men-during-annual-mens-health-day-2025
