Prostate cancer is now the most diagnosed cancer in the U.K with around 47,500 men diagnosed every year, with one man dying of prostate cancer every 45 minutes on average.
Its probably fair to say that not everyone reading this knows exactly what the ‘prostate’ is and what it does. It’s quite surprising how little many of us know about our bodies, how they run and what happens when they break down.
Check out this video to learn more about the prostate and prostate cancer.
I realise that I’m leaning towards a car analogy here, so if I stick with it then imagine a friend offering you a lift into town and as you get in the car they casually mention that they haven’t put their car through it’s M.O.T. in twenty years…how safe would you feel getting in? I say this because this is the kind of response I have had from hundreds of men when I’ve spoken to them about the importance of getting early signs and symptoms for prostate problems checked out with their G.P. They will proudly tell me that they haven’t been to the Dr’s in years.
I believe that we need to have a major shift in the way that men in this country approach their own health care and well-being, with prostate cancer being just one example of how early detection can save lives.
We need men to take their health seriously and move away from this ‘oh it’ll be alright’ approach that we see so often. Catching prostate problems before they turn cancerous can and does make a huge difference in achieving a positive outcome. The following link provides some great information on what may cause prostate cancer along with signs and symptoms to look out for www.nhs.co.uk
I totally understand that sometimes we’d rather just shy away from something that worries us rather than dealing with it, and that it’s easy to let the days roll by and not actually get on with getting something sorted out…
I think we’re all guilty of this in one way or another, but I can’t stress enough how important it is to take that first step and get in touch with your G.P. if you have any signs, symptoms or concerns.
If you’re reading this thinking ‘yeah that’s me’ then pick up your phone and make that call, and if you’re reading this and have concerns about someone you care about then you have my permission to nag them until they do something about it. You really might be helping them to save their life.
Early detection saves lives.
Other Resources
For more information about different aspects of prostate cancer visit www.prostatecanceruk.org or www.cancerresearchuk.org.
To learn about general cancer signs and symptoms visit www.leedscancer.com.
If you are concerned about prostate trouble visit www.prostatecanceruk.org for support.
