It’s Movember! This annual November event invites men to put down the trimmer and roll with the ‘tache, with the goal of raising awareness for pressing health issues that too often go unspoken. With male suicide, prostate cancer and testicular cancer all being dominating health problems for men from all walks of life, Movember is a chance to give more men (and people in general) the knowledge to be able to have more helpful and supportive conversations around men’s health, and help spot the early warning signs so men can get the help they need as early as possible. A chance to raise money from support services to clinical trials, Movember is a great cause to get involved with.
Men’s health is often something that can go overlooked, and having access to the appropriate healthcare services is fundamental. Employers can play a big part in this, and health benefits can support and supplement employees’ healthcare. We polled our members and discovered that more support around Men’s health is something that they would be interested in. In fact, our latest data shows that 18% of men polled on our platform expressed a wish for men-only insurance policies to be included in their company health benefits offering.
Men have a higher likelihood of developing cancer compared to women, with a 50% chance of being diagnosed during their lifetime (one in two as opposed to one in three for women).
In the past, scientists believed that this increased risk was due to differences in lifestyle. Men were known to be heavier smokers and drinkers, and their work environment may have exposed them to carcinogens such as asbestos and industrial toxins or fumes. However, even as more women started adopting similar habits and joining the workforce, the incidence of cancer remained consistent. This is where offering up more social awareness and resources to men can be a massive help.
With so many men affected by these issues, raising awareness and offering up support can be a life-saver.
Donate to Movember here: https://uk.movember.com/