Letter to the Editor

You may (or may not) have noticed a few houses in town have changed their outdoor lighting to blue lights lately.  This seems to happen regularly in September as folks across the country try and reach out to men and tell them about the dangers of prostate cancer.  September is Prostate Cancer Awareness month in Canada.

Prostate cancer is not, perhaps, such a joyous topic to be discussing.  But it is vital for men to be aware of their bodies and to know the ways to avoid an early demise.

Prostate cancer is the number one most diagnosed and most prevalent cancer in Canadian men, accounting for one in five, or 20%, of new cancer cases in men. One in eight Canadian men are expected to be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.  Prostate cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in males, following only lung and colorectal cancer.

But what you really want to know is that almost all prostate cancer is treatable and, in many cases, it can be eliminated – particularly when it is diagnosed early.  Hence – the blue lights.

So – come on guys – it is essential that we look after ourselves.  If you are 50 or older, ask your doctor for a PSA test.  It is a simple, painless, easy blood test that will tell you if you need more screening.

If you catch it early, like I did 19 years ago, you can live on and on and on.  I can still be a pain in the neck to my friends and family, after almost 20 years of living cancer-free.  So, get tested.  Call me if you want to talk about it (250) 919-2953.  Go to www.prostatecanada.ca for more information.

Live long and prosper.

Kevin Higgins,

Cranbrook

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