Irish dads are being encouraged to talk about their prostates with their sons.
The ‘Get Men Talking’ campaign by the Marie Keating Foundation is asking men to open up about prostate health with their sons, and to teach them about the symptoms, risk factors and how to check themselves for signs of prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer for men in Ireland, yet almost eight in 10 have said they’ve never discussed the disease with their fathers or sons.
One in eight men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime, but that risk goes up by 2.5 times if a close male family relative has been diagnosed in the past.
Director of Nursing Services, Helen Forristal, said that although Irish men have gotten better at speaking about their health, the Marie Keating Foundation’s new research has shown that more steps still need to be taken.
She said:
“The fact is that if a close male family relative has had prostate cancer, you are two and a half times more likely to get it than the average person.
“It is key that men are open and able to talk to their Dads, sons, uncles and grandfathers about their health and their prostate health in particular.
“Our initiative ‘Get Men Talking’ aims to encourage men to talk to their GP, family and friends about having the PSA blood test and what that might mean for them.”
Despite increases in early detection leading to a 92 percent five-year survival rate, just 16 percent of men said they feel well informed about the early signs prostate cancer.
Symptoms of the prostate cancer include:
- Having to rush to the toilet to pass urine
- Passing urine more often than usual, especially at night
- Difficulty passing urine, including straining to pass it or stopping and starting
- A sense of not being able to completely empty the bladder
- Pain when passing urine
- Blood in the urine or semen
The Marie Keating Foundation has also launched an interactive quiz to educate men about their prostate health.
You can access the quiz here.
