Praise was heaped on me the other day at Lincoln Community Health Center for being there to bend over and get my prostate gland probed.

Of course, that's not exactly what you want to hear this morning while you're crunching down on your Cheerios. At the same time, it could help you live another day to eat some more Cheerios.

A lady at Lincoln told me about men not wanting to get screened for prostate cancer because they didn't want that feeling of, shall we say, being violated, particularly by the finger of one of the male doctors who performed exams at the free clinic sponsored by Duke Prostate Center.

The lady at Lincoln had more to say.

As far as men not wanting to get screened for prostate cancer because it's a rather awkward process, she brought up how mammograms aren't exactly the most natural procedures for females to endure.

Well, do this for me, ladies: Show up for the free breast-health workshop on Friday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

It's also at Lincoln, 1301 Fayetteville St.

LaSonya Little, a registered nurse at Lincoln, can answer your questions when you reach out to her at (919) 956-4029.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the workshop is an opportunity for women around here to take charge of their health just like the men who showed up at Lincoln to get screened for prostate cancer.

Women who come to the workshop will get to hear speakers talk about breast health. A survivor of breast cancer will share her story.

As well, you ladies will be able to get free breakfast and free lunch and free facials and free manicures and free massages and ...

Wait a minute, now! All I saw at the screenings for prostate cancer for us dudes was some fruit and some pamphlets. How come nobody rubbed stuff on our faces? We're men -- uh, guys, don't leave me out here by myself -- but the truth is we like a good exfoliation just like women.

And the deeper truth is men get breast cancer, too.

Just like women.

So, my brothers, you, too, are welcome to come to the workshop and partake of not only the breast-cancer information but also the beauty treatments. Little said so.

Now, men, don't wimp out on account of not wanting to let women watch you pamper yourselves a little bit. It's OK.

We live in a sin-cursed world, so the cells in our bodies go awry and we end up with cancer. But eating right and exercising and putting down those cigarettes are reported ways to lower the risk of acquiring the disease.

And early detection is a very wise way to nip cancer in the bud. Which is where the workshop with the fruit and the facials comes in.

Reach John McCann at jmccann@heraldsun.com or (919) 419-6601.