Extra facial hair aims to improve men’s quality of life
This month you are likely to see more facial hair than normal; Movember is upon us. Movember, the combination of moustache and November, was started in Australia in 2003. The movement aims to “stop men dying too young,” by addressing men’s health issues, including prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health, and suicide prevention.
Movember works to achieve its goal by bringing awareness to the aforementioned issues and raising money. To that end, this week’s column will discuss the male sexual health issues of prostate and testicular cancer.
Both prostate and testicular cancer are common in Canadian males. Prostate cancer is the most common, with one in seven males diagnosed in their lifetime. Whereas, testicular cancer tends to hit earlier than most other cancers, and is therefore the most common cancer among young males in Canada.
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, prostate cancer accounts for 21 per cent of all new cancer cases in males. On average, 58 Canadian males are diagnosed with prostate cancer and 11 die from it each day. Last year, 1,100 Canadian men were diagnosed with testicular cancer, of which 1 in 20 will die.
For both types, early detection is key. Prostate cancer is tested through blood tests and rectal exams, so frequent checkups with a doctor are important. Regular health checkups are good for discovering testicular cancer, but males should also be doing self-checks for any changes in their testicles. It is important for males to know what is normal and to discuss any changes, such as lumps or tenderness, with a doctor. According to the Movember charity, 70 per cent of males are not regularly checking their testicles.
While the visual of men’s health comes in the form of facial hair this month, remember that cancers affecting men’s sexual health are prominent and that early detection is imperative to prolonging males’ lives. Consider getting involved in Movember, either by donating or educating.
Photo Courtesy of Tasha Falconer