Organisers are hailing this year's Prostate Cancer Awareness Month as a "huge success", with hundreds of men attending a screening at the weekend.

Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre staff say they were "thrilled" with the response to their first free walk-in PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) clinic on Saturday.

More than 220 men underwent a blood test at the Centre in Paget, with the assistance of Bermuda Hospitals Board staff.

Tara Soares, Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre executive director, said: "It was an incredible success. It was non-stop for the full six hours we were running the clinic.

"Even when we arrived at 9.30 a.m. we had about 15 men queuing up waiting for the doors to open.

"In total we had more than 220 men on the day and the BHB staff were brilliant, we couldn't have done it without them."

Four phlebotomists from King Edward VII Memorial Hospital carried out the blood tests and Pathology Department laboratory staff will now process the readings by the end of the week.

The tests were free to anyone over-40 who had not had a PSA check in the past 12 months or who did not have medical insurance.

Medical experts recommend men should have a PSA blood test and Digital Rectal Examination (DRE) by their doctor every year from the age of 50.

Those at a higher risk black men or those with a family history of prostate cancer should start getting tested at 45.

The Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre however, recommends all men should have an initial PSA test from the age of 40, to establish a baseline reading for future checks.

Mrs. Soares said: "We were just so pleased to see so many Bermudian men come out.

"We had a great cross-section of people, with a lot of younger men who had recently turned 40 getting their baseline done, and a lot of older men who hadn't had a PSA for five to six years as well."

She said: "The attendance was overwhelming. I think prostate awareness in Bermuda has been elevated to a new level this year.

"This month's campaign has been a huge success, and the other major player in this has been The Royal Gazette. The newspaper has really brought awareness to the whole issue of men's health and we would not have seen the success we have done without this support."

The charity's education officer Rhonda Smith-Simmons added: "We were thrilled with the turnout and there was a wide range of ages.

"We even had a young man aged 37, and we felt that if he was concerned enough to come forward then we should allow him to get tested too."

Staff were also pleased by the turnout at the 'Men's Only Night' at Elbow Beach Hotel on Thursday.

More than 200 men attended the lecture and question and answer session, where US prostate cancer expert Dr. Michael O'Leary and Bermudian urologist Dr. Charles Dyer addressed their concerns.

Mrs. Smith-Simmons said: "I definitely think the message is getting out there and I think having Sluggo (cricketer Dwayne Leverock) as the face of the campaign has really encouraged men too, because he appeals to the average black male.

"The men who attended the 'Men's Only Night' and the PSA testing were predominantly black and they are the ones who are at a greater risk, and so we were thrilled with the response.

"The Royal Gazette has really helped this year to get the word out. There is definitely more awareness and a willingness to ask questions."

Fund-raising director Pauline Girling said: "We had over 200 men, with standing room only, attend the free seminar at Elbow Beach, hungry for more knowledge about this condition.

"We even had a group of deaf men, who brought along their interpreter and who were extremely interactive in the question and answer session."