Each year in October, we celebrate breast cancer awareness month with pink ribbons and a call for women of all ages (and men) to get a mammogram as a way of detecting and curtailing the spread of cancer. With each year, this, along with other global health initiatives predominantly targeted at the global female population, has gone a long way in detecting, preventing, and treating many diseases that would have otherwise been fatal if left undetected and untreated.
This is, however, not the case when it comes to men’s health. Each year, millions of men around the world die from preventable or treatable diseases simply because they were not caught early enough. Some forms of cancer such as colon and prostate are some of the biggest culprits when it comes to male mortality. Many might say that men have a rather laissez-faire attitude towards their physical, psychological, and emotional health due to certain cultural norms once deemed masculine, now considered toxic. These norms encourage men to ‘toughen up,’ not show weakness, and fight through things. This emphasis on strength means many men tend to focus on their physical strength and neglect their internal health. Conversely, they ignore both, hoping for the best and not preparing for the worst. Sadly, in the face of illness, this only serves to hasten the inevitable.
The No-shave November initiative has gone a long way in changing these negative attitudes towards seeking preventative medical care and acknowledging cancer sufferers globally. The International Medical Center here in Beijing has jumped on the bandwagon, calling on Beijing’s men to step up and take their health into their own hands with a comprehensive health screening package. With everything from a complete physical examination to a prostate exam, this package provides a one-stop-shop to get all the pesky tests done all in one go. And if you are thinking of crying time constraints, the offer runs to December 16, so you have a month to take advantage of it.
Just scan the QR code on the poster to make an appointment today. Don’t put off to tomorrow what you can do today. Take charge of your health.
Photos: Courtesy of IMC, Unsplash
