As part of their Men’s Health Month, supported by Marks and Spencer, the Marie Keating Foundation hosted their third annual men’s health lunch at Harvey Nichols Restaurant in Dundrum Town Centre.
The Foundation’s month-long campaign was first held in March 2005 and since then has grown in size and impact. The campaign focuses on men and their wellbeing in reducing their risk of developing cancer.
One in nine Irish men are at risk of developing prostate cancer, one in nineteen are at risk of developing bowel cancer and one in two hundred and five are at risk in relation to testicular cancer.
Armed with the knowledge that men are increasingly unlikely to visit a doctor or engage with the health services, the Foundation has decided to develop a campaign which aims to literally “Get Men Talking”. Getmentalking.ie has been developed to specifically focus on men’s cancer. Through the use of YouTube and Facebook, the Foundation’s hope is to encourage more men to talk about their health. On the website men can ‘ask the expert’, talk to one another, post content to the site and access information on the various types of men’s cancer.
As part of the month’s activities, over one hundred men gathered for an entertaining lunch attended by rugby buff Brent Pope and addressed by men’s medical expert, Mr Thomas Lynch. Among the attendees were men who have been affected by cancer and were happy to share their experience with all those in attendance.
Ambassadors for the campaign to “Get Men Talking” are Ronan Keating and Gerry Ryan. Mr Ryan has supported the campaign by recording a radio ad which is currently ‘on air’. Speaking in advance of the lunch Ryan commented “my Dad died unnecessarily because he ignored all of the warning signs”. Ronan Keating stressed the importance of early detection in the fight against cancer. “If the only message men take away from the lunch today is this significant fact, then we will have achieved a lot”.
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