Eddie urges Ballymena men to get health in pole position

In the Ballymena and Antrim areas alone 240 men are diagnosed and 111 die from cancer each year.

The male cancer awareness campaign, sponsored by Chain Reaction Cycles, runs throughout June and aims to encourage men to become more aware of their general health, and to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of male specific cancers such as testicular and prostate cancers.

Catherine Foreman, senior Health Promotion Officer with Action Cancer explained why the Action Man campaign is so important: “Action Cancer has a longstanding commitment to highlight men’s health issues, which many males still regard as a taboo subject. Throughout the year on our Big Bus we offer approximately 2,400 MOT health checks, 49% of which to men. The health check examines indicators of heath including blood pressure, cholesterol, lung capacity and body composition analysis, as well as lifestyle advice.

“Men often choose not to take their health as seriously as they should. For instance, men typically don’t come forward for an annual health check with their GP or nurse, which means by not monitoring their health they are at higher chance of not detecting cancer or other serious conditions at an early and, hopefully, more treatable stage.”

Every year in Northern Ireland there are on average 4,000 men diagnosed with cancer- that’s 11 men each day. In the Antrim & Ballymena areas there are 240 men diagnosed and 111 that die from cancer each year. The most common male cancer diagnosed amongst males is prostate cancer with nearly 1,000 men developing and over 200 dying from the disease here every year.

But research shows that over half of all cancers could be prevented with the right lifestyle choices, such as eating a healthy diet, taking regular exercise, not smoking, drinking alcohol responsibly and being safe in the sun.

Eddie Irvine commented, “The work that Action Cancer does to highlight male health issues through its Action Man campaign prompts men to stop and think about their lifestyle and how to make informed choices to improve their well-being and reduce their risk of cancer and others serious illnesses.

“By paying more attention to our health, keeping our equipment in check and approaching our GPs if we have any concerns, we can actively help to keep our health in pole position.”