As the old adage goes, behind every great man there’s a great woman.
And nowhere is this truer than in the case of Mo Sista Cindy Fox from KZN, who has walked the prostate cancer journey with her dad since his diagnosis six years ago.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in South African men, with more than 4 000 men diagnosed annually. When detected early, prostate cancer survival rates are better than 98 per cent. Find it late though, and those survival rates drop to below 26 per cent.
“It might seem that Movember is all about the guys, but each year Mo Sistas play an integral part in pulling it all together – from encouraging the men in their life to get tested and take action early to helping their Mo Bro choose a Mo style, building a team, fundraising or organising end of month celebrations,” said Garron Gsell, chief executive and founder of the Men’s Foundation, which manages the Movember campaign in South Africa under licence from the Movember Foundation.
Movember is the leading global men’s health charity, raising funds and awareness for prostate cancer, testicular cancer, poor mental health and physical inactivity. They have one goal: to stop men dying too young. Sign up as a Mo Bro or Mo Sista at www.za.movember.com and help men live happier, healthier, longer lives.
“It is never easy for men to talk about problems ‘down there’ but when my dad told me about his diagnosis, I was determined to be there for him,” Cindy said. “He has been there for me my whole life, so it is the least I could do.”
“If men don’t stop being macho, the journey is so much more difficult. Even when the cancer is caught early and the prognosis is good, they can easily become depressed and even suicidal if they are not prepared to accept a shoulder to lean on.”
Luckily Pat Fox who is now ‘60-ish’, was happy to accept Cindy’s support. His prostate cancer was discovered early, and was treated with brachiotherapy.
Cindy describes the treatment as ‘being shot with radioactive BB bullets’ and in Pat’s case the cancer was completely clear after just three treatments.
Unfortunately Pat suffered a very rare complication when one of the ‘bullets’ became lodged in his prostate and damaged the surrounding cells.
“That led to an operation to sort it all out, but now he is absolutely fine,” Cindy said.
Cindy’s support has not stopped, however. She is still there to make sure that her dad has all his regular checks and is determined to make sure that other men do the same.
“No one is immune to this disease,” she said, “so get yourself checked. It is just so much better to be safe than sorry.”
“Know your family history and if you notice something isn’t feeling right, don’t put it off and hope it goes away. Annual health checks are vital, along with a monthly testicular self-examination which can help make you aware of your body and able to note any changes,” Garron said.
Who’s at risk?
Your risk of developing prostate cancer increases with age, but that doesn’t mean it’s a disease that only affects old men. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide. Men who have a family history (a brother or father with prostate cancer), are 2,5 times more likely to get prostate cancer.
If you’re 50, you should be talking to your doctor about PSA testing. If you have a brother or father with prostate cancer in their history, do it at 45.
What’s a PSA test?
It’s a simple routine blood test. It’s used to determine the concentration of Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) and is the primary method of testing for prostate cancer. You should be talking to your doctor about whether testing is right for you.
The facts about prostate cancer
Only men have a prostate gland. The prostate gland is usually the size and shape of a walnut and grows bigger as you get older. It sits underneath the bladder and surrounds the urethra, which is the tube men urinate and ejaculate through. Its main job is to help make semen – the fluid that carries sperm.
Prostate cancer occurs when some of the cells in the prostate reproduce far more rapidly than normal, resulting in a tumour. Prostate cancer often grows slowly to start with and may never cause any problems. But some men have prostate cancer that is more likely to spread. These prostate cancer cells, if left untreated, may spread from the prostate and invade distant parts of the body, particularly the lymph nodes and bones, producing secondary tumours in a process known as metastasis.
Detecting prostate cancer
Not everyone experiences symptoms of prostate cancer. Many times, signs of prostate cancer are first detected by a doctor during a routine check-up.
Some men, however, will experience changes in urinary or sexual function that might indicate the presence of prostate cancer.
Signs and symptoms
• A need to urinate frequently, especially at night
• Difficulty starting urination or holding back urine
• Weak or interrupted flow of urine
• Painful or burning urination
• Difficulty in having an erection
• Painful ejaculation
• Blood in urine or semen
• Frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs
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