Why Movember Matters: Raising Awareness for Prostate Cancer

You may have noticed an increase in facial hair around. Movember is here, and many men are participating to raise awareness for prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health, and suicide prevention. Movember is a global charity event that encourages people to grow out their facial hair. Creating a moustache or beard for 30 days. Beginning on November 1st every year, This event is focused on spreading the word about men’s health issues. Movember has been celebrated since 2003, with over 5 million global supporters, across more than 20 countries. Funding more than 1,200 men’s health projects around the world.

Movember is a great opportunity to help out your partners, friends, family, and community by starting conversations, donating funds, or even just growing the stache. If you’re not sure what Movember is all about, this blog post will explain the history of Movember and how it can be beneficial for everyone involved. 

1. What is Movember and why does it matter

In many countries across the world, November has been reclaimed as Movember. For a whole month, men grow out their moustaches to raise awareness for prostate cancer. It’s important because one in seven men will develop some form of the disease during their lifetime. Those taking part and supporting are called Mo Bros and Mo Sistas.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men. But there’s still a lot of work to be done. In fact, 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with it during their lifetime.

Working together as a team to raise awareness about men’s health – in particular prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health, and suicide prevention. It’s a fun way to get involved and raise funds for research into preventing, detecting, and treating these diseases that affect so many people we love dearly – fathers, brothers, husbands, partners, and friends.

2. Risk of prostate cancer in the UK

In the UK, prostate cancer is the most common form of male cancer and one in eight men will be diagnosed with it at some point. Globally, more than 1.4 million men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year.

It mainly affects males over the age of 50. The older they are, the more likely they will get prostate cancer. The typical age for men to be diagnosed with prostate cancer is between 65 and 69 years old. Your chance of being diagnosed with prostate cancer decreases significantly if you are under the age of 50, but it is possible.

As with many health issues, your family’s medical history can influence your own health. Families share many common elements, such as genes, environment, and lifestyle, which can help predict whether you are more prone to certain diseases. Start a discussion with the other males in your family to understand what health issues they have had. You are two and a half times more likely to get prostate cancer if your father or brother has had it, compared to a man who has no relatives with prostate cancer.

If you’re a black man with a mixed or black background, you’re more likely to get prostate cancer than a white guy. However, we don’t know your precise risk because there isn’t enough data on prostate cancer in men of mixed black ethnicity. We also don’t know whether it makes any difference if your mother or father is black.

3. Signs of prostate cancer 

Take action early and see your GP if you notice any of these symptoms. They have the tests and knowledge to understand what is causing these issues. Do check out the NHS website for all the latest information

Symptoms of Prostate Problems

• Frequent urge to urinate.
• Need to get up many times during the night to urinate.
• Blood in urine or semen.
• Pain or burning urination.
• Feeling that your bladder has not emptied fully
• Straining or taking a long time while peeing
• Weak flow
• Dribbling of urine.

4. How to talk to your partner about the disease 

Men are less likely to go to the doctor, they are more likely to ignore any symptoms they have. They do not speak up when something is wrong because of how society has shaped them over time.

So if your partner is exhibiting some of these early signs or symptoms, talk with him about it in a calm, non-fearful way. Mention the things you’ve noticed and let him know if it worries you or not – but don’t put extra pressure on him.

If he does agree to go to his doctor, try not to be pushy about what happens next. Let your partner take control of the situation without making it about you. Mention the things that concern you, but do not put all of your fears onto him and make it seem like he needs to fix everything for you. Mention that you’re there for him and that he has your support no matter what.

If something does come back positive, remain calm and know that anything can be treated if it is caught early enough! Movember is also a great time to generally discuss any health concerns you have for a male relative or friend. With the increased media coverage, along with the fun challenges and general awareness, then concerns can be dropped in, as part of a general conversation.

5. Tips for prevention 

While there are certain factors you can’t change, such as your age, ethnicity, or family history. There are some things you can do to reduce your risk of prostate cancer.

– Maintain a healthy weight. Visit the NHS website to read about other ways of checking whether you’re a healthy weight.  A healthy weight can also aid in your general health and the prevention of other diseases, such as type-2 diabetes, heart disease, and some other cancers.

– Eat healthily. It can be hard to know what is a healthy diet? A balanced diet, with plenty of fruit and vegetables, is the best way to ensure good health throughout your life. Again there are lots of information and resources on the NHS Website Eatwell Guide.

– Do regular exercise. We don’t know whether physical activity can help prevent prostate cancer, but some people think it does. Some studies suggest that vigorous exercise is better than light exercise, but any exercise is better than no exercise.

6. The importance of being screened for prostate cancer 

If Movember has sparked an interest in Prostate Cancer and you want to check whether or not your risk is higher, then talk with your occupational health clinician or a GP. Right now there is no test that can tell if someone has prostate cancer. So when you visit your GP there are a few tests they may do. Usually, the first of these is a urine test to rule out urine infection. Your Occupational Health nurse or GP can refer you for a blood test that checks the PSA level (Prostate-Specific Antigen). A high result does not always mean cancer but it might be worth checking out further investigation. There is also a digital rectal examination (DRE) which is a physical examination of the prostate gland. It’s uncomfortable but not painful. 

Conclusion

Movember is a month-long charity event where men grow out their facial hair in order to raise awareness for men’s health issues. You can get involved in a number of ways.

• If you have any concerns, speak to health professionals for more information.
• Check out Movember campaign activities in your look area.
• Do a fundraising challenge or event to raise money.
• Join in the discussion, especially with men living by themselves.

Further reading here :https://prostatecanceruk.org/

If you are interested in the health of your employees, please reach out so we can start the conversation.