Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre is reminding men to take charge of their health as the island marks Movember.

The charity has teamed up with Robin Hood Football Club to raise awareness of men’s health, with a particular focus on prostate and testicular cancer. “What we do know is that more men get cancer and more men die of cancer,” oncologist Chris Fosker told The Royal Gazette. “You’re 35 per cent more likely to die of cancer if you’re a man, which is quite a big difference.”

While the reasons are not clear, Dr Fosker said late presentation and lifestyle have really been signposted by way of explanation.

He added that Cancer Research UK estimates 45 per cent of male cancers have lifestyle factors as one of their causes.

“Getting men to understand their own health, to think about their health — and they certainly come across as less health focused than women — and then getting men to present early could make a big difference to those statistics,” said Dr Fosker, who plays football for Robin Hood and competes in triathlons.

Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre executive director Tara Curtis added: “We know that if we can detect these cancers and other diseases earlier, treatment is a lot easier, less expensive, much better for the patient to tolerate and we have much more successful cure rates.”

According to Dr Fosker, prostate cancer is the most common male cancer and there were 56 cases reported on island in 2015.

“From a man’s perspective, it is incredibly common, it’s incredibly scary,” Dr Fosker said, “but a lot of the time you don’t need treatment.

“The recommendation is that when a man goes for their annual check-up with their GP, they should have a discussion of the value and the role of having the PSA blood test done with their GP rather than it just being automatically done. It should be an informed choice.”

And Ms Curtis added: “What we promote is having that conversation with your physician, the importance of that annual physical because that’s the way you’re going to get in to have the conversation with your physician. It really is the first, most important step in looking after your own health.”

The Centre also recommends screening “when appropriate based on risk factors”.

The Movember campaign has been run by the Centre for five years to strategically promote men’s health and establish prevention and awareness programmes. They have provided a voucher programme for men without health insurance to see their doctors, as well as a men’s health fair. This event, hosted in partnership with the health department and ministry and other helping agencies, will be held at the Seventh-Day Adventist Hall on King Street from 10am to 4pm on Thursday.

“We have physicians, nurses, blood tests, glucose tests all free of charge and we just encourage as many men to come out and participate as possible,” Ms Curtis said.

Funds raised through the Movember campaign will go towards the radiation therapy facility being built at the centre.

This aims to be able to start treating patients by mid-2017. And with radiation therapy one of the most effective treatments for prostate cancer, Dr Fosker added that having this treatment available locally could make a big difference to men’s quality of life.

• For information on free health screenings for men click on the PDF link under “Related Media”.