Why Male Health
Heart disease, Cancer, Diabetes and Hypertension are higher in men than women. In fact, 80% of all sudden-death cases due to unknown heart disease occur in men. At higher prevalence in men include Lung disease from smoking, Cancer of the Lung, Colon, Bladder, Liver, Psychiatric disorders of Schizophrenia, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and Suicide. All before we even get to Prostate Cancer. If this can’t convince you of the need for a Male Health Charity, I am not sure what could.
Scotland
Scotland is a nation that has a devolved Parliament, plays an integral part in the UK’s economy and infrastructure, and has the talent here to do this. We believe being from the same community as the men we serve allows better communication. We value partnerships with Charites based in other parts of the UK (and globally), but they simply do not live in our community.
Silence
The critical thing to know is that Prostate Cancer caught early can be treated and cured. As the development of Prostate Cancer is silent until it spreads into the body, all men between the ages of 55 and 69 should be aware of very early signs. We can do that and do it in a Scottish manner.
Economy
Men play a critical, arguably the most important, economic role in most families. Without making judgments and getting into equality issues outside of our scope, losing a man’s wage to a family is universally negative. Men need a health champion focused on encouraging improved health and lifestyles here in Scotland.
Women
Women need their men in their lives as we need them (we are a circle completing each other). It just doesn’t make sense to have only women’s health charities. It’s a team effort. Stay healthy together.
A side note and this will worry and should worry, even after a decade of work; still, women contribute more to us in volunteering and donations than men. Women play a more critical role in our Charity than men do. Crazy, right? Men often ignore us, and their wives will take some of the brochures and put them in his hand. That says something. We, men, need to do more.
