Blue September is the Prostate Cancer Foundation's fundraising and awareness month.
Blue September is the Prostate Cancer Foundation's fundraising and awareness month.
Every day, 10 men in Aotearoa are diagnosed with prostate cancer. It is the most diagnosed type of cancer, and the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men in New Zealand.
But what’s not as well known is that Māori men are facing an even worse reality. For us, we’re 20 per cent less likely to be diagnosed with the disease than non-Māori and 50 per cent more likely to die from the disease once diagnosed.
Why is prostate cancer affecting Māori men more?
Partly, it’s because we’re going to the doctor less often and waiting for symptoms to appear. So when we do go to the doctor, if the cancer is present, it’s likely to be more advanced and our chances of a good outcome are reduced.
From my experiences, many men who have prostate cancer don’t have symptoms at the beginning so there is a real danger there. Because there are no symptoms, we think everything is all right.
Prostate Cancer Foundation New Zealand kaumātua Dene Ainsworth.
Early detection is crucial to beating prostate cancer and I want tāne to put away the whakamā of getting a test and look after yourself.
The often-talked-about digital rectal examination we know has put people off in the past, but these days as a first step, a simple PSA (prostate specific antigen) blood test can be all that’s needed.
When you get your blood checked for diabetes or cholesterol, ask your GP to check the PSA box, it’s as simple as that. Once you do it, you keep getting it checked.
This is particularly important if you’re over 50, and those with a family history should consider getting checked earlier and discuss it freely among whānau.
Māori men aren’t great at talking about health and history, so we don’t know if it’s been in our whānau. So, as well as getting tested, another key thing I’m asking is for men to start having these conversations at an early age.
I was fortunate that my own GP was extremely proactive about men’s health, I had my PSA test done and was found to have the very early stages of prostate cancer.
I had it treated and because of that early detection, it means I’m still here today. So many more Māori men haven’t been as fortunate as I was and that must change.
Our wāhine have already laid down the pathway to follow for being proactive about our health, we just need to pick up that rākau, that wero and do it ourselves.
Mauri tū, mauri ora.
The Prostate Cancer Foundation is urging tāne to Do Something Blue to Help a Mate Through during September, for Blue September, the Prostate Cancer Foundation fundraising and awareness month, visit blueseptember.org.nz
Dene Ainsworth (Te Āti Awa, Taranaki), kaumātua for Prostate Cancer Foundation New Zealand, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2007 and says thanks to a proactive GP it was picked up early.
