November of every year is known as Men’s Health Awareness Month, with international men’s day being the 19th November. This was created in dedication of bringing awareness to the most major health issues men face - Prostate Cancer, Testicular Cancer, and mental health and suicide prevention. Winserve have a diverse community of men from different backgrounds, and we aim to support you all just the same. Moreover, we encourage all our male staff and service users to get yourself checked out, as late diagnosis can be extremely harmful.

Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers amongst men. The cause of prostate cancer is unknown, but aspects can increase your risk of developing.

Age – Most cases develop as you get older, with men aged 50+ being most susceptible.
Ethnicity – This variant of cancer is much more common in black men, and less common in Asian men. Moreover, in black men, studies show that the cancer is more likely to be aggressive or advanced.
Genetics – If any immediate male family members (fathers, brothers, uncles, or grandfathers) have been diagnosed with prostate cancer massively increases your risk of contracting.

We encourage and support you to visit your GP. Early signs are usually detected in the initial consultation. To test, the GP would take a:

Urine sample
PSA test (blood sample to test the level of prostate antigen)
Prostate examination

Testicular cancer

Testicular cancer is one of the less common cancer variants. It is encouraged by health professionals to be aware of what feels normal for you, as the most common symptoms are swelling or a change in shape of the testicles. If you notice any changes, it is advised to contact a GP as soon as possible. GP’s will conduct a physical examination and send for blood testing if required.

There are certain aspects that make this variation of cancer very different to others:

More common in younger men, particularly ages 15-49.
White men have a higher risk of contracting than different ethnicities.
Diagnosis has doubled since the mid 1970’s.

The reasons for this are unclear. This is the reason why awareness is so important, as awareness month content and fundraising finance the research into diseases like testicular cancer.

Mental Health & Suicide Prevention

Statistically, three times as many men will pass away from suicide than women, with men between the ages 40-49 having the highest suicide rates in the UK. There is a known stigma around men discussing their mental health, due to the stereotypically “masculine appearance.” This is preventing men from reaching out for support, ultimately resulting in a further decline in mental health. Men’s health awareness month aims to destroy this stigma and encourage men to talk about their mental wellbeing, reminding them that talking is not a sign of weakness.

There are many organisations that provide resources and support on men’s mental health like CALM, Samaritans, men’s health forum and man up.

As a team, we should all recognise the tell tales signs that someone is struggling with their mental health. We can support them by:

Assuring you will listen.
Keeping in touch.
Assisting with local therapy and support groups.

For further information on how to improve mental wellbeing, please read our article on ‘Mental Health in the Workplace,’ particularly the section on how to look after ourselves.

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