This Men’s Health Week, Prostate Cancer UK wants to spread awareness of the disease.
Men’s Health week is the best time for men to brush up on their wellbeing, mainly because it’s such a large and complex field. Getting the right men’s health information can be difficult, everyone has gaps in their knowledge, and the myths are rife.
Prostate Cancer UK are helping men educate themselves about the fact and fiction of cancer, including it’s risks, symptoms and when to get checked.
“What on Earth is a Prostate?”
Prostate Cancer UK’s new campaign, titled “What an Earth is a Prostate?” aims to highlight the misinformation around prostate cancer and the risk factors.
Why is Prostate Cancer so hard for men to talk about?
Breaking the taboo that surrounds the prostate and prostate cancer is the best way of getting more men involved. The taboo exists because this, the most common cancer in men, starts in a place that half of men know next-to-nothing about. Prostate Cancer UK are trying hard to change that.
Places where conversations may happen; the pub, at work, online, with family and friends; make it hard to know what to believe, and even harder to know what to do about it. What does a prostate do? Am I too young for prostate cancer? What happens during the test?
What Prostate Cancer UK found out through the campaign is that it’s especially concerning how many men believe they’ll see signs of early stage prostate cancer and would avoid speaking to their GP if they didn’t have symptoms, when we know that prostate cancer doesn’t usually have any symptoms at all until it’s already spread and become incurable. At the same time, far too few men know the three main factors that put them at risk of prostate cancer.
That’s why we’re asking every man to take our 30-second online risk checker, to help understand their risk, and what they can do about it.
Debunking the myths
Here are some of the most popular myths that need to be debunked:
- “I’m too young for prostate cancer”
Men’s risk of prostate cancer increases as they get older, and they are at higher risk from 50 onwards.
- “I can’t get prostate cancer, I’m really healthy”
Any man or trans woman can get prostate cancer.
- “I would know if I had prostate cancer, I would have symptoms”
Early prostate cancer often does not have symptoms, so it’s crucial men do not wait to see or feel changes before they speak to their GP.
- “My GP will invite me for a test”
There is no screening programme for prostate cancer in the UK, and so your GP will not invite you for a test
- “Getting a finger up the bum is the first test for prostate cancer”
The standard practice for the NHS is to use the PSA blood test as the first step in checking for potential prostate cancer.
- “I don’t want to bother my GP unless I am in pain/ feel symptoms”
You should never be afraid to be proactive about your health.
- “Prostate cancer is the good cancer to get.”
Over 12,000 men die from prostate cancer each year, and it is the most common cancer in men.
- “All men are at the same risk of prostate cancer.”
1 in 4 Black men will get prostate cancer, which is double the risk of other men
Read more about the myths here
The Pinder 200
Club Insure’s fundraising challenge for this year, the Pinder 200, took place on the 2nd June and has been successfully completed!
A team of six riders cycled 200 miles in two days to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK. The cycle was in memory of Lloyd Pinder, late Director of Club Insure who died of prostate cancer in 2020.
Club Insure and The Romero Group forged a relationship with the Prostate Cancer UK in 2019. And following our successful Coast2Coast cycle ride from Morecambe to Bridlington in 2021, the team wanted to up their game.
The route began at our new office, named Lloyd Pinder House (LS19 7ZA) and finished at the Stadium of Light (SR5 1SU). We selected the Sunderland AFC stadium as the finish line because Lloyd was a huge fan of the black cats.
