DEAR ABBY: Because your column is like a huge community billboard, I thought I’d ask you to get this message out. Please remind women that when they schedule themselves for a mammogram, they should schedule their husbands for a prostate exam and PSA test.

There’s an abundance of advertising about breast exams, yearly checkups and women’s health centers, but little is seen about the same thing for men. Prostate cancer is a serious problem if it’s not detected before the symptoms show up; by then it’s already spreading outside the prostate. You know that men put off medical visits more often than women, so if you could get women involved in our health we might be around a lot longer.

As a prostate cancer survivor, I know from personal experience that early-stage prostate cancer has no symptoms and, having been cancer-free for the past six years, I am living proof that early prostate cancer can be cured. – ALIVE AND KICKIN’ IN KNOXVILLE, TENN.

DEAR ALIVE AND KICKIN’: You have written an important letter. Many men, and women too, will appreciate your timely reminder. My mother was once asked what she thought was the most important ingredient for a lasting marriage. Her response: “A husband who lasts.” Ladies, if you want your husband to last, improve the odds by making an appointment with his doctor every year.

DEAR ABBY: I am a 19-year-old young man who is writing you from a jail cell. None of my crimes were violent. They mainly consisted of theft and drugs. I’ve had a bad drug problem ever since my best friend overdosed in my hotel room. I did drugs before then, but not as much as afterward.

One thing led to another, and soon I found myself behind the wheel of other people’s cars and using other people’s credit cards.

I have been locked up for three months now, and looking back, I can’t believe the life I was living. Is there still a chance I can turn my life into a success when I’m released? And what do you recommend I do to stay sober and lead a happy life? – TOUGH LUCK IN CHATTANOOGA

DEAR TOUGH LUCK: You can still achieve success, but it will be harder. The first thing you must do is recognize that your situation had less to do with tough luck than a series of poor choices. Now that you are sober and thinking straight, it’s time to start planning a different life when you are released.

Some positive steps to take: Join a 12-step support group; people with problems who have emotional support accomplish more than they can on their own. Understand that you will have to forgo relationships with people who use drugs and steal. Complete your education.

It won’t be easy, but if you do all of the above, you’ll no longer be the same person you are today, and you will lead a happier life with fewer problems.

CONFIDENTIAL TO “CAN’T DECIDE IN MISSOURI”: Many colleges and universities offer career counseling and aptitude testing to help people choose a career. Of this I am certain: If you choose a job that you love, you’ll never have to “work” a day in your life.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Write Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.