Men need to talk about these issues

The month of “Movember” is when men are encouraged to grow moustaches to highlight health problems like prostate and testicular cancer.

At first glance, the idea might seem frivolous, but perhaps that is what is needed to get men to pay attention to their bodies and their health, in the same way women are encouraged to do. Prostate and testicular cancers are as personally devastating and have as much impact on relationships and families – and possibly broader society – as do the more commonly discussed cancers, like breast or lung cancer.

Men tend to be brought up with the attitude that it is somehow soft to show hurt or pain … and from this flows an almost cavalier approach to matters of health. This can vary from “it won’t happen to me” to “I’ll just beat this thing into submission”.

That’s how men roll, that’s how they deal with the difficult things in life.

Of course, the “hidden” nature of these cancers is exacerbated by the fact they involve the male reproductive system – the gold standard of “maleness”.

But, these matters need to be talked about. Men have to educate and screen themselves. The alternative is too ghastly to contemplate.

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