Free prostate exams for Mo-brothers
Every year in November, South Africa is taken over by unshaven men.
This is part of the Movember campaign, where men raise funds and awareness for prostate and testicular cancer.
Men are encouraged to grow their facial hair during the month of November to show support for this initiative and to help raise awareness for these often ignored men’s health issues.
“This year, the NHC Health Centres will also be supporting the Movember campaign. During the month of November, men sporting moustaches can go to the NHC Centres in Bryanston and get a free prostate screening,” said managing director of the health centres, Hermann Kohloffel.
Prostate cancer occurs when some of the cells of the prostate reproduce far more rapidly than in a normal prostate, causing a tumour.
If left untreated, these cells may spread to other parts of the body, especially the bones and lymph nodes.
According to the Cancer Association of South Africa, one in four men may be affected by prostate cancer in their lifetime.
Men who are over 50 years old, and who have grown their moustache in support of the campaign, can get a free Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test at the NHC Health Centres on 21 and 28 November.
“The PSA test involves drawing blood, usually from the arm, and [is] then sent to the lab – often results come back within one or two days. The PSA blood test looks in the blood for the presence of a protein that is produced specifically by prostate cells, called Prostate Specific Antigen,” explained Dr Rains.
“Rising levels of PSA [the protein] in the blood indicate a problem with the prostate, which could be cancer or an enlarged prostate or infection,” he added.
A doctor at the NHC Health Centre will go through your PSA test results with you and advise appropriately.
“It is important that men get regular prostate tests. Finding and treating prostate cancer early offers men more treatment options with potentially fewer side effects,” added Dr Rains.
