Nothing like the Susan G. Komen’s breast cancer awareness crusade exists for men. The resulting silence is a challenge to every man’s personal health. Nationally the lack of awareness has been responsible for the redirection of hundreds of millions of cancer awareness dollars to other causes. Men often ignore or delay medical visits believing seeking medical help suggests they are weak. Years later many discover that an early treatment program for prostate cancer may have save their lives.
The top male excuses for avoiding medical visits:
- I don’t have a doctor
- There’s nothing wrong with me
- I don’t have any real symptoms
- I don’t have time
- Doctors don’t do anything
- No need to hear bad news
- I don’t like being probed
- I can tough it out
What motivates men?
- It’s about fear – Men are concerned a doctor may find something
- It’s not about pain – Men will deny pain in an effort not to appear weak
- It’s not the many pee trips – Men will say it’s part of getting older
- It’s about finger fear – Men don’t like to be probed
- It’s genetics – Men suddenly discover a relative who died from prostate cancer
- It’s about sex – Men always visit a doctor when things fail to rise to the occasion
