Emory Winship Cancer Institute is bringing its mobile prostate cancer screening bus back to Cobb County for two free clinic days before Thanksgiving.

The "Big Blue Bus" will park at the South Cobb Regional Library in Mableton on Nov. 19 and the Charles D. Switzer Library in Marietta on Nov. 20, according to a Cobb County government announcement. Both sessions run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Men ages 40 to 75 can walk in for a no-cost prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. No physical exam is required.

The partnership between Cobb County Public Library and Winship Cancer Institute has provided 218 men with screenings to date, according to the county announcement. The first round of eight Winship clinics at Cobb libraries resulted in 129 men receiving the blood test, the Cobb County Courier reported in August.

Results are typically available on-site within one hour, according to the Winship Cancer Institute screening page. Otherwise, results arrive within three to five days by phone, mail or Emory Healthcare's patient portal.

If follow-up care is needed, the clinical team helps guide patients to next steps.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis and the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men in Georgia, according to the county announcement. The mobile program aims to reduce geographic and financial barriers for men at the highest risk, including Black men.

F. Kennard Hood, medical director of the mobile screening unit and assistant professor at Emory University School of Medicine, said screening carries weight beyond one patient.

"One of the most responsible things a man can do during his lifetime is to look after his own health," Hood said. "His longevity and quality of life will have a profound and generational impact on not only him and but also his loved ones."

The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation funds the program, which was developed in collaboration with the Mount Sinai Health System. It launched in September 2025 with a three-year goal of providing 10,000 tests across Georgia by September 2028, the Cobb County Courier reported. The program surpassed 2,000 screenings statewide by mid-2026.

The November clinic dates align with National Family Health History Day, observed around Thanksgiving. Health experts encourage families to use holiday gatherings to discuss medical histories, including prostate, breast, ovarian and pancreatic cancers.

Walk-ins are welcome at both library stops. Pre-registration is optional at emoryhealthcare.org/prostatebus.

Upcoming screenings:

  • Nov. 19: South Cobb Regional Library, 805 Clay Road, Mableton, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
  • Nov. 20: Charles D. Switzer Library, 266 Roswell Street, Marietta, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.