The Movember Foundation has been running its charitable month Movember since 2003 and every year the event continues to grow in popularity. Whilst women raise awareness and vital funding for Cancer Research and Race for Life to make their mark — Movember is a chance for the male population to shine and raise awareness of many male-specific cancers like prostate cancer.
The Movember Foundation have one main aim – to stop men dying too young.
It’s a harsh reality and awareness is important.
Everyone has a father, husband, partner, brother, uncle or friend that has come face-to-face with the reality of cancer and sometimes it’s something that’s hard to accept. The truth is they all face a health crisis that is just not talked about enough. Men are notoriously known for avoiding any health problems by shrugging them off and burying their head in the sand, but this needs to change.
This month let’s take the challenge!
Men can face a range of health problems including an epidemic of mental health issues, prostate cancer, testicular cancer and skin cancer to name but a few. Men are more likely to get diagnosed with skin cancer than women.
So how can you help remove the stigma attached to male health?
- Make sure you or your partner enjoy some “man time” — keeping in contact with friends and enjoying their company is key to maintaining everyone’s health, not just that of men. Make sure that you exchange regular texts and emails with your mates or arrange regular “man dates” to stay in touch.
- Don’t bottle it up – this is key for men. Only 48% of men say they can rely on their friends for support. Being unable to talk about their health is part of the problem men face and getting over that hurdle will be a big achievement and a good start towards breaking the stigma attached to male mental health.
- Regular checks – there is no shame in looking after your health and having regular check-ups. Everyone should be aware of risks to their health and to know where to turn to if they need help and advice which will improve their chances of beating whatever illness life throws at them. Just 63% of men would go to their GP if they discovered something unusual. Don’t fall into that group!
- Self-checking for changes to your body – these are just as important as visiting your GP. If you notice anything out of the ordinary there is nothing wrong in having a health check both for your peace of mind and to catch anything early on before it gets worse.
- Stay active — although a healthy lifestyle can’t prevent all the major health problems men may experience, it can help, and even small changes will make you feel much better. Take a daily stroll — autumn and winter walks can uncover some beautiful landscapes – or take the stairs instead of the lift at the office or even park further away from the train station to help increase your number of daily steps.
Show your support for Movember this month and grow your moustache to help raise money for a valuable and worthy cause.
Health Shield offers a Cancer Screening service, check your Health Cash Plan benefits to see if you are covered.
