Everett Kenner, 57, a computer programmer for the Kansas University Endowment Association, has participated in the health screenings the association has offered since 2007. After a screening in December, he learned that he had an aggressive form of prostate cancer. "I consider myself extremely fortunate to work in a place that supports and promotes wellness for its employees. As often happens with prostate (and other) cancers, I had no symptoms and no knowledge that anything was going on," he said. by Richard Gwin

Everett Keener, 57, is thankful his workplace began offering an annual health checkup four years ago.

Not only have the health screenings helped improve his overall health but also a progressive form of prostate cancer was discovered before he began showing symptoms.

Keener has been a computer programmer at the Kansas University Endowment Association for 11 years. In 2007, the association began a wellness program for its 150 employees that included an annual on-site checkup, where various screenings such as cholesterol, glucose and blood pressure, were offered.

“I’m the kind of guy who would go once every five or 10 years to the doctor, so I really wasn’t watching that,” he said.

He opted to participate in the checkup because there was no excuse not to — it was convenient and simple to do.

“All I have to do is click on a couple of buttons to sign up and walk down the hall at the appropriate time. For someone like me, that’s great,” he said.

Keener said that during the first checkup, he learned he needed to improve his heart health. He changed his diet and has watched his cholesterol, blood pressure and other numbers improve.

Last December, he opted to have a prostate cancer screening during the fair. Three weeks later, he got the results.

“When the numbers came in, it was like, “Holy cow.’ If I had waited until I was having a lot of pain or some other symptom that would have got me into see the doctor, it would have been too late,” he said.

He made an appointment with his doctor and a urologist and then had a biopsy.

“Turns out mine was pretty progressive,” he said.

In March, he had surgery, and he had radiation treatments this summer. He’s now on hormone therapy for a couple of years.

“The value to me was getting into the doctor when I did,” he said.

Laurie Comstock, special projects manager at KU Endowment Association, said about 85 percent of its employees participate in the health screenings, and they’ve seen big benefits. They’ve seen improvements across the board among employees who are participating:

• Drop in high blood pressure — 20 percent to 6 percent.

• High overall coronary risk — 22 percent to 11 percent.

• Tobacco use — 11 percent to 6 percent.

• High blood sugar — 20 percent to 16 percent.

“We want to have a healthy and productive work environment. That’s important. We know that healthy people are more productive and happier, and it’s just a better environment to be in,” Comstock said. “The bottom line is that people who are healthier — they save money, and KU Endowment saves money. It just makes sense.”

KU Endowment Association’s wellness program has been so successful that it has been chosen to serve on a panel during Lawrence’s first Workplace Health Symposium on Oct. 12 in Lawrence.

Its program also offers a healthy snacks program and has special speakers, like a nutritionist, heart attack survivor and dentist. Comstock said they often survey employees to see what they would like and what obstacles are keeping them from being well. For example, they found parking was a problem when it came to accessing the gyms on KU’s campus. So the Endowment Association bought a couple of parking permits that its employees could check out and use.

It also offers an on-site Weight Watchers program and about 30 people are participating. In a year and a half, they’ve shed 1,100 pounds.

Comstock said they also like to throw fun into the mix. Last February, there was a snowy day where the temperatures were hovering in the 30s. She said it was perfect for making snowballs, so they announced over the intercom that there would be a snowball fight in the back. Thirty people showed up.

“It was about a 15-minute snowball fight and it was so fun, and people came back all happy,” she said.

WorkWell Symposium

Lawrence’s first Workplace Health Symposium is from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Oct. 12 at Holiday Inn Lawrence, 200 McDonald Drive. It is being organized by a LiveWell Lawrence initiative called WorkWell Lawrence.

The goal is to bring people together to share, discuss and explore options to make Lawrence a happier, healthier place to work.

Here’s the agenda:

• 7:30 a.m.-8 a.m. — registration. Cost is $30.

• 8 a.m.-9 a.m. — Lenora Larson, director of business development for New Directions in Leawood, will give the keynote speech.

• 9:15 a.m.-10:15 a.m. — panel of Lawrence employers with wellness experience.

• 10:30 a.m.-11:15 a.m. — best practices roundtable.

• 11:15 a.m.-11:30 a.m. — closing remarks.

The symposium is open to anyone and people can sign up at www.workwelllawrence.org or at the door.