NASSAU, The Bahamas — The first in a series of prostate cancer screenings hosted by the men’s health group, Us Too Bahamas Chapter, Prostate Cancer Education & Support, got off to a positive start Tuesday evening at the Elizabeth Estates Community Health Centre.
But Chapter officials are encouraging even more men to “come forward, overcome the fear of the finger” and get their prostates checked.
Additional clinics are scheduled over the course of the next week for the Flamingo Gardens Community Health Centre (Thursday, September 22); South Beach Community Health Centre (Tuesday, September 27) and the Fleming Street Community Health Centre (Thursday, September 29).
Clinics will take place from 6-9pm. Registration for all clinics begin at 4pm on the evenings scheduled. Registration is a minimal $20.
“Prostate Cancer, and/or good prostate health, is serious business,” said Us Too Bahamas Chapter Leader Mr. Valentine Maura Wednesday.
“This mindset of being afraid of the Digital Rectal Examination (D.R.E.) is crazy because the exam has proven to save lives. Men need to overcome this fear, or whatever it is, of the finger and do what is right for not only themselves, but their families and loved ones,” Mr. Maura added.
Mr. Maura said the Chapter is “working assiduously” to overcome some of the “mindsets” of Bahamian males, particularly when it comes to men allowing “a fear of a finger (Digital Rectal Examination)” to decide their fate.
Prostate cancer, he said, continues to be the leading cause of non-violent death in males over 40 years of age in The Bahamas despite the fact that it can be prevented through healthy lifestyle choices, exercise, regular screenings and education and awareness.
“I don’t understand this hesitation to have one’s prostate checked just because the digital rectal examination involves the doctor using his/her finger,” Mr. Maura said.
“Outside of the medical and anatomical significance of the area, what is so precious about the rectum?; why is it so important to maintain this supposedly position of masculinity that would cause a man to not get his prostate checked, develop prostate cancer, and then live the remainder of his life in pain? That is so crazy to me.”
Mr. Wendell Barry, Founding Secretary of Us Too Bahamas Chapter put it this way: “Let’s compare it to constipation, the side effects of which are a great deal-side worse than a digital rectal exam. It’s the same rectum. This is light stuff when it comes to saving your life.
“You don’t want to lead a painful life at age 40 because you did not get checked,” Mr. Barry added.
“To me, the consequences of not checking far outweigh any ‘concerns’ about masculinity or the lack thereof, or feeling violated or whatever it is that is keeping even more Bahamian men from getting the digital rectal exam, which by the way, is still the best way to have the prostate checked,” Mr. Maura added.
Messrs. Barry and Maura say they will not make any apologies about the “blunt manner” of their message.
“This is a very serious message about a very serious issue that is seriously affecting men’s health in our country and if we have to be blunt in order to get the message across and in the process, save many more lives, then so be it,” Mr. Barry said.
To counter what prostate health officials call the “laissez faire” (whatever happens, happens) attitude towards the illness by Bahamian men, the group has hosted, and continues to host, numerous educational and awareness campaigns while adopting the position of “going into the many highways and by-ways to spread the message about good prostate health, prostate cancer, prostate cancer screening and healthy living” to men throughout the Commonwealth.
Establishing screening clinics at the four major community healthcare centres in New Providence on an annual basis, is also part of the thrust to get more involvement, particularly during the month of September which has been designated ‘Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.”
Blood pressure and blood glucose checks, in addition to cholesterol and BMI (Body Mass Index) checks will also be available at all clinics.
“Whether it is at the ballparks, church and community group meetings, health fairs, school fairs, or going into the many ‘watering holes’ not just in New Providence, but throughout the Commonwealth, we have made a commitment to take this message of good prostate health and healthy living into every sector of our society that males inhabit,” Mr. Maura said.
Mr. Barry applauded the almost 3,500 men who have received screenings under the auspices of the Us Too Bahamas Chapter since 2004, when the Chapter first began compiling such statistics.
The Chapter, which hopes to have 850 men screened this year, has been responsible for having 3,376 Bahamian men screened since 2004, 687 of whom were screened last year alone.
Mr. Barry said while the Chapter is “quite happy” with the number of men who have received the DREs since 2004, it is a “known fact” that many more men need to step up to the plate “and help save their own lives.”
”We have to think more clearly,” Mr. Barry said, “because the decisions we make not to get ourselves checked do not only affect us, but also affects our families.”
By Matt Maura
Bahamas Information Services
