Throughout the month, Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust are supporting Prostate Cancer Awareness Month by offering health talks at Cycle for Health and Walk for Health sessions.
The campaign will work to raise general awareness amongst men of how to spot the signs and symptoms of prostate cancer.
Maureen Sayer, from the Public Health Promotion Team will be on hand at Cycle for Health and Walk for Health sessions to give advice about how to check for signs and symptoms.
Cycle for Health sessions take place at the following locations:
- Monday 9th March at 10.00am, Liverpool Cricket Club
- Tuesday 17th March at 10.00am and 11.00am, Croxteth Park
- Tuesday 17th March at 1.00pm, Bellevale Park
- Thursday 19th March at 10.00am, Sefton Park
Walk for Health sessions take place at the following locations:
- Wednesday 18th March at 12.00pm Albert Dock
- Friday 20th March at 1.30pm Walton Park
- Thursday 26th March at 10:30am, Calderstones Park
To book a session, call Jeanette Smith, Secretary Walk for Health, Cycle for Health on 0151 295 3256.
Prostate cancer is currently the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer amongst men in the UK.
Over 40,000 men are diagnosed with it every year.
In the UK, about 1 in 8 men will get prostate cancer at some point in their lives and those at a higher risk include men over the age of 55, men with a family history of prostate cancer, and men of black African and black Caribbean descent.
The main symptoms of prostate cancer include:
- Needing to urinate more frequently, especially at night
- Difficulty in starting to pee or taking a longer time to finish urinating
- Speed of urination becomes weaker or slower
- Bladder still feels full even straight after you have been to the toilet or discomfort around the bladder area
- Pain during sex
- Pain in back, hips or pelvis
- Blood in the urine or semen
Any men with the above symptoms need to see their local GP as soon as possible. Men can also request a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test from their GP, this is an annual blood test and suitable for men aged 50 and over.
PSA is a protein made by the prostate. All men have a small amount of PSA which rises as they get older but a raised level indicates that further investigation is necessary.
Maureen Sayer, Health Promotion Specialist for Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust explains:
“It’s not always easy for men to talk about their health, but it’s really important to talk to a Doctor especially when it comes to cancers, since talking to a professional can help you catch cancer early and can significantly improve your chances of beating the illness.”
“Throughout Prostate Cancer Awareness Month this March, we want to encourage men of all ages to be aware of the symptoms of prostate cancer, to find out about any family history of cancers, and to visit their GP early if they have any health concerns at all.”
If you do spot any unusual changes when peeing, it does not necessarily mean that it is cancer, but you should see a GP as soon as possible just to make sure.”
To find out more about LCH and the full range of services it provides, please visit: www.liverpoolcommunityhealth.nhs.uk
Words: Peter Cribley