Free prostate screenings and blood tests will be available to men at a county-hosted health event on Thursday, Aug. 27, in Alpharetta.

Fulton County District 2 Commissioner Bob Ellis is organizing the Men's Health Tailgate from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the county's Health & Human Services North facility, 4700 North Point Parkway. The 180,000-square-foot building opened in April after a renovation of a former commercial office site near Ga. 400.

The event is free.

Ellis, who represents Milton, Mountain Park, and large portions of Alpharetta, Roswell, and Sandy Springs, said the tailgate targets a documented gap in men's healthcare access.

"Our goal is to offer men fun ways to take care of themselves," Ellis said in a statement reported by Fulton Neighbor. "So many dads, husbands, brothers, and uncles leave us too soon."

Ellis noted that men have a life expectancy six years lower than women and are half as likely to seek preventive care. He cited an estimated 6,000 new prostate cancer cases in Georgia this year, with more than one in ten proving fatal. The American Cancer Society's 2026 projections put the statewide figure higher, at 11,420 new cases and 1,160 deaths.

Beyond the screenings, the Fulton County Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities plans to offer mental health resources, and the Department of Senior Services will have a registered dietitian on-site.

Ellis also serves on the Advisory Board of WellStar North Fulton Hospital, giving him a direct institutional tie to North Fulton health services.

The tailgate marks the first major community health screening announced at the HHS North facility since it opened. During a hard-hat tour of the then-under-construction building in November 2025, Ellis urged local media to "help us to publicize the services so people are aware of them and come in here and take advantage of them."

No registration or RSVP requirement has been announced. Residents can call the HHS North facility at (770) 520-7500 for details.