Why men need to talk about health

Bantry man Phil speaks candidly of his experiences with prostate cancer

Prostate cancer affects more men than any other form of cancer. In its earliest stages there are no symptoms so often goes undetected.

Most doctors recommend that men over 50 have regular blood tests for Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) for early indications of the disease. If prostate cancer is discovered, several possible treatment options are available including radiation, surgery, medication and what is known as watchful waiting.

Prostate cancer is typically a very slow growing tumour. Many men with prostate cancer die of other causes without ever realising that they have the disease.

It is a widely recognised fact that men are more reluctant to visit their GP when they have a health concern. If your concern is occasioned by depression and mental illness or anything to do with the reproductive organs the reluctance to discuss it is even greater.

Movember is an annual event involving the growing of moustaches during the month of November to raise awareness of men’s health issues. Their goal is “to change the face of men’s health” By encouraging ever more “Mo Bros” to get involved, Movember aims to increase early cancer detection, diagnosis and effective treatment and ultimately reduce the number of preventable deaths.

The Movember Foundation also encourages men to be aware of any family history of cancer and to adopt healthier lifestyles.

Their approach — part fun but always with a deadly serious undertone — has helped to bring this difficult topic out into the open and make frank discussion acceptable. And anything that helps to reassure men that admitting to health concerns doesn’t make them weak, inadequate or somehow less of a man is a good thing.

The numbers taking part in the Movember moustache are growing this year with Irish rugby international and Leinster player Cian Healy, Coronas frontman Danny O’Reilly, Ger Gilroy and Dave McIntyre from Newstalk’s Off the Ball, among them.

Last year, a total of 17,250 Mo Bros and Sistas raised an impressive €2 million for men’s health. And internationally, the Movember community has raised €409m and funded over 800 programmes in 21 countries.

With the sprouting of a new moustache, Mo Bros effectively become walking, talking billboards for the month and like a charity run, can often use their new facial adornment to spark conversation around the often-ignored issue of men’s health.

Bantry man Phil (surname withheld) has prostate cancer and decided that it would be a good idea to start a local support group since there wasn’t one in the area. But over the several weeks his message was displayed, Phil is disappointed not to have had one response. I asked him why he thought this was.

Phil, I’m sure you’re aware of other men in this area who have had a similar diagnosis. So why do you suppose no one contacted you?

I think it’s a man thing. We tend to blame ourselves and we want to see ourselves as being strong, functional at all times. Perhaps some men see admitting to being ill as a sign of weakness. And , of course, it doesn’t help that it’s a delicate and private area that men don’t like to talk about. On the advert for men’s health, George Hook says, “There, I’ve finally said it”, when he eventually uses the words “prostate cancer”. So I suppose that all this has something to do with why I didn’t get any response, though it is very disappointing.

When did you first find out that you had prostate cancer?

It developed very slowly although I’d been suspicious that something was wrong for a long time. My PSA level was rising and eventually, it was recommended that I had a biopsy. But that came back negative. So they kept measuring my PSA levels and as they continued to rise, they gave me another biopsy and this one showed some cancer. I was offered hormone treatment and radiotherapy but I decided I wanted to wait until I get the results of the tests next month because the treatment can have severe side effects. Some men grow breasts and there can be fatigue and incontinence. Not all men are badly affected though.

How has the diagnosis affected you. Phil?

Well, it’s something that changes your life. It completely alters your focus and it can become all consuming. One of the problems with it is that the treatment is often worse than the cancer. I just want treatment that isn’t going to do more harm than good and so I’ve explored alternative options. I’m lucky in that CUH are a fantastic hospital and my doctors are not dismissive of non-traditional options but are willing to discuss them and to negotiate the best course of action with me.

What was your life like before all this took over?

I painted seriously, ran a café and craft shop in Eyries, lived in Allihies, did building work, landscaping, turned my hand to anything really, as people here do. It’s ironic really because I had a healthy lifestyle, vegetarian, ate lots of nuts and seeds and it still happened. And yet there are men who eat a full Irish breakfast every day, smoke cigarettes and don’t get any exercise who are fine. Because I am on my own, sometimes it can feel very lonely, as I can’t always be sure that I’m doing the right thing. I have been asking about counselling services for about a year now but haven’t had any luck, although I believe there’s one in the pipeline.

How have you found that other people have responded to you since you were diagnosed?

Most of my friends have been very supportive but some people have surprised me. Even members of my own family haven’t wanted to talk about it. It’s a condition that people are very afraid of although it’s not a death sentence. And it’s forced me to look deep within myself and whatever the outcome may be, it reminds me every day of what it is to be alive.