Former All Black Josh Kronfeld says it's important for men to get over the embarrassment many of them feel over prostate health. Photo / Amalia Osborne
Former All Black Josh Kronfeld says it's important for men to get over the embarrassment many of them feel over prostate health. Photo / Amalia Osborne
Every year, about 4000 Kiwi men are diagnosed with prostate cancer - the second most common cancer diagnosis in New Zealand after skin cancer. But research by Tena Men shows men often feel shame around prostate issues and this may prevent them getting regular health checks. Here, Tena ambassador and former All Black Josh Kronfeld tells the Herald how recent health scares encouraged him to get tested – and calls on Kiwi blokes to do the same.
Kiwi men could learn a thing or two from the women in their lives when it comes to talking about their pelvic health, former All Black Josh Kronfeld says.
“There’s a certain shame that surrounds it for men. Even myself, I feel a little bit of it sometimes, having this discussion,” he tells the Herald.
“But I’ve sort of come to the conclusion that, do you know what? I’m getting older, it actually doesn’t matter. I know I’ll get some ribbing from certain things I say, whether it’s on the media or whether it’s just among my mates, but you know, who cares?
“One of the boys might take the piss and have a bit of a laugh about it with me, and then goes home and happens to mention it to his wife. And then the wife says, ‘Well, it’s not that stupid, have you checked that out?’ And then he’s on his journey. That’s why I’ve decided to get behind it, because too many of the brothers are falling over before their timeline.”
As a physiotherapist, the 53-year-old knows a thing or two about the pelvic floor and its connection to prostate health for men.
Former All Black Josh Kronfeld says there's no shame in openly discussing topics like prostate health. Photo / Amalia Osborne
“The different things that go on and go wrong can be precursors for other complications – that’s in some ways the first flag or first thing to show up that there’s something not quite right with someone’s health.
“We’re discovering as we get older [that] prevention versus dealing with the cause is integral, and prostate cancer is so preventable now. But it’s just getting in there early and discovering that before it kicks off.”
Kronfeld has “had a few different things that have cropped up” himself in recent months.
“It started with not just being super regular with going to the toilet, number twos. And then I had some spotting in the stool, and I had a little history of haemorrhoids. Anyway, I just went down that path, and next thing, I was getting all that checked out as well.
“I noticed as I was going to the toilet - and again, this can be just an age thing, but it can be related to prostate issues - and my stream just wasn’t working as well as it should. I mentioned it to the doctor and, of course, we did the PSA [Prostate Specific Antigen test]. Go to the urologist and do the check, pee into a bucket and then he tells you your stream is pretty slow.”
Thankfully, all the tests “came out fine”, Kronfeld says, adding with a chuckle, “It is a little bit embarrassing going through all that sort of stuff.
“But I think once you’ve done the first one, that embarrassment’s just gone. I think that’s the biggest problem is just getting over your own issues.”
It’s not the only health scare he’s experienced recently. Eighteen months ago, shortly after a mate had an “out of the blue” heart attack at 54, Kronfeld started experiencing chest pains.
Josh Kronfeld says he and his wife Bronwyn try to have open discussions about health with their sons. Photo / Amalia Osborne
“I was going away for a few days and those symptoms had ramped up quite significantly, so I rang the doctor because I didn’t want to go away and maybe have a heart attack. I ended up in hospital getting a full check-up which all came out clear, and then from there, seeing specialists and going through that whole process to see whether I did have a condition.”
It turned out that the pain was due to old rugby injuries and a bad shoulder – but he’s now grateful for the experience, as he’s been able to support his friend through triple bypass surgery and the rehabilitation that followed. “You know, be that guy that he can talk to.”
“We try pretty hard to keep things open in our family with discussion and I think like most families, it’s not always easy to have those conversations. My wife is way better [at it] than me,” he says, adding that the couple regularly make time to check in with each other one-on-one.
“Maybe the kids have gone out of the picture, we’re sitting and having a conversation after lunch or dinner or whatever. Next thing you know, they’ve casually asked the question about where you’re at. And through that discussion, you’ve both come to the consensus that ‘you need to get going and get that checked out’.
Kronfeld has experienced concussive symptoms since his early 20s, and while the effects of head knocks and rugby injuries have lingered, acknowledging the problem helped “turn a switch” in his brain, he says.
“I still struggle with being a little bit reactive, but as soon as I understood that, it took the effect away in a lot of ways.”
It’s something that “comes with the territory” of having played rugby for seven years, he says.
“I’ve learned to deal with that. That’s part of my life and it does hamstring me a little bit from being as active as I’d like to be and the type of activities I can do, especially with the boys, you know - run around on the paddock with them or throw a ball, kick a ball or whatever. I can do that, but not for very long, and it’ll take me about a week to recover from it in some respect, but I’ve learned to just sort of run with it.”
Former All Black Josh Kronfeld experienced concussive symptoms from the age of 20 during a successful rugby career.
Looking back, Kronfeld says he would have focused more on rehabilitation during his rugby career.
“When I came into the game, we were still amateur, and so kind of left to our own devices when we were rehabbing. I probably went back way too early. Back in those days, if you weren’t playing, there was a good chance you could lose your position to someone else. In today’s game, you’re given ample opportunity to showcase that your skillsets are back to where they were. But that’s the journey of how the game has moved on.”
It’s not just rugby culture that’s changed over the years, he points out – in 2024, it’s getting easier for men to open up and ask for help when they need it.
Kronfeld thinks of his dad – “the toughest dude I’ve ever met”.
“My mates all used to joke about him pretty much cutting his toe off at work, and it’d be attached by just a little bit of meat. And he finished the day’s work before he went and got stitched up, you know? That was the sort of ilk that he came from.
“Now, he admits to stuff that’s going on. He’s got some heart conditions and he’s willing to talk about it and stuff that he’s going through and the frustrations, and that’s significantly different from what he was like when he was a younger man.
“He is from a really tough era of men, but being tough is actually going in and doing checks.”
Now, the former All Black wants men his age to understand that “there’s no shame in discussion” when it comes to their health – in fact, it could save their lives.
“You’re gonna have mates that will say the dumb thing and the wrong thing ... but it just doesn’t matter, to be honest. If you laugh and throw a quip back that supports what they’ve just made a dig at, it instantly deflates it.
“When we look at the numbers of our men that could have avoided things like heart attacks, things like prostate cancer, and the number of different cancers from just getting in and getting a check – if we do have these conversations, we do inspire one of the boys to get a check and if something does crop up, you’ve instantly got a support network. And that’s gold.”
About prostate health in New Zealand
After skin cancer, prostate cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in New Zealand, with about 4000 men diagnosed each year, according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
It’s recommended men 50 and over get their prostate checked at least every two years – or annually from the age of 40 if they have a family history of the disease
However, Tena Men research shows Kiwi men feel more shame and stigma around health issues, particularly prostate health, than their Australian counterparts. Blue September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in New Zealand, and this year, Tena Men has partnered with the Prostate Cancer Foundation on a campaign called Build Your Team – intended to encourage men to open up to those around them and to seek help for any health issues they might be experiencing.
