Movember is the leading charity “Changing the face of men’s health” … “focusing on prevention, early intervention and health promotion”

‘Movember’ is an annual event which involves growing a moustache in aim to raise funds and awareness for men’s health. Key issues highlighted on the Movember website are: Male Suicide, Testicular Cancer and Prostate Cancer.

Mental Health and Suicide Prevention:

“GLOBALLY, ON AVERAGE, 1 MAN DIES BY SUICIDE EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY.” – Movember

Male suicide is not talked about enough and the stigma surrounding men being open about their mental health needs to change. According to Mind (2019), the percentage of men experiencing suicidal thoughts when worried or feeling low has doubled since 2009. This could be due to more men not feeling able to come forward and admit that they are unwell. However, this could also be due to stress levels increasing amongst men.

According to the Office for National Statistics, there were 4,129 male deaths (by suicide) compared with 1,454 female deaths (that is around 3 in 4 suicides being male). In addition, males aged 45 to 64 years have had the highest suicide rate since 2010 when compared to other age groups.

Testicular Cancer:

“TESTICULAR CANCER STRIKES YOUNG. IT’S THE MOST COMMON CANCER IN YOUNG UK MEN.” – Movember

Testicular cancer usually develops in men aged 15-49 years old, and according to the NHS (2022) “Around 2,300 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer each year in the UK.” It is the most common cancer in young men, but is a rare cancer overall, accounting for 1% of all cancers in men.

The survival rate of testicular cancer is above 95%, however men may need support through the treatment as it takes a toll on physical and mental health. “Chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery are the 3 main treatments for testicular cancer.” (NHS, 2022). Following a challenging treatment plan, a male may need monitoring for a few years following the treatment, meaning that the illness will still affect a man for years after he has been treated.

You can use the NHS website to education yourself about the symptoms and feel encouraged to reach out and seek support should you need it (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/testicular-cancer/)

Prostate Cancer:

“1 IN 8 MEN IN THE UK WILL BE DIAGNOSED WITH PROSTATE CANCER IN THEIR LIFETIME.” – Movember

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in the UK. It will affect 1-in-8 men in their lifetime. Most cases are found in males above the age of 50, but it can affect men of a variety of ages. The causes are still not well understood.

There are a few treatment options depending on the stage, but if an individual is experiencing troublesome symptoms a doctor may need to “surgically remove the prostate or recommend radiotherapy – either on its own or alongside hormone therapy.” (NHS 2022). It is important to recognise the symptoms early since these treatments do come with side effects. You can use the NHS website to educate yourself about the symptoms and feel encouraged to reach out and seek support should you need it (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/prostate-cancer/).