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Men’s Health – Driving the Message Home

 

Gentlemen, Start Your Engines

Over the past couple of years, we have seen a growing number of fun and exciting ways to help raise awareness for prostate cancer and men’s health. Movember, for example, has become increasingly popular across the globe. This summer, a couple of high-octane, awareness and fund-raising events are taking place on both sides of the Atlantic. I encourage you to check out both of these events and consider participating – jump in and fasten your seat belts, we’re going for a ride!

 

The Drive for Men’s Health

 

Electron Powered

For the second straight year, American urologists Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt and Dr. Sijo Parekattil have organized the Drive for Men’s Health. Last year, the team drove an all-electric powered TESLA from Clermont, Florida, to Manhattan, New York.

This year, on Thursday, June 11th, the Drive for Men’s Health will again start in Clermont, Florida. However, once they arrive in Manhattan, they’ll take a sharp left turn and head West to Los Angeles, California. The 6,000 mile journey is expected to take nine days to complete. Along the way, the team will need to stop over 60 times to plug in and recharge.

 

Putting a Plug In for Men’s Health

Over the course of the drive, the urology duo will host live webcasts, on a variety of men’s health topics, including the topic of home health care provided by our partners at www.oxford-healthcare.com/tulsa-home-care-services/, all this with the help of over 200 speakers from around the world. The drivers hope the car, and technology used during the drive, will function as a magnet to pull men and their loved ones into further discussions about healthy living, as well as knowing when to request respite care Tinton NJ once aware of what this kind of care entails. This year’s Drive for Men’s Health coincides with National Men’s Health Week in the United States.

 

The Banger 3K Rally for Prostate Cancer

Banger 3K Car

 

 Putting the Pedal to the Metal

As summer approaches, auto racing heats up in Europe. In July, amateur hockey player Adam Clark (Clarky) and his friend Robert Lamden (Lambo) will strap themselves into a 28-year-old Toyota MR2 Mk1 for the 2015 Banger Rally Challenge. The race is similar to the Gumball 3000 Rally, but with old cars that cannot be worth more than £350. These old cars needs to be modified with Remapping stages for better performance.

In England, an old car is referred to as “an old banger”. It’s not going to be easy by any stretch of the imagination, and we hope not to break down.” – Adam Clark, “Clarky”

Over the course of ten days, the team will attempt to drive 3,000 miles across France, Switzerland, Monaco, Italy, and thru the Alps. The purpose of the event is to raise awareness and money for Prostate Cancer UK, the largest men’s health charity in the UK, dedicated to helping men survive prostate cancer, and enjoy a better quality of life.

It’s a lighthearted race, but being the first one to the finish line does not mean you have won. There are lots of challenges along the way that need to be completed – and we have no idea what they are yet as it is all secret! It’s very much a social activity, many laughs, great memories. It will be competitive, but I think everyone will be happy just to get to the finish line without breaking down! – Adam Clark, “Clarky”

 

A Shot and a Goal

Clarky and Lambo have already raised nearly £9,000 for Prostate Cancer UK by selling sponsorship spaces on the car, and from donations. When the team finally arrives back home in London, England, Clarky will wrap up the fundraising event on the ice, as assistant captain, playing for Team Prostate in an All-Stars Charity Ice Hockey Tournament at the home of British ice hockey, Sheffield Arena.

team prostate cancer UK

 

 Driving the Message Home

Every man has a unique set of interests. Some men respond to technology under the hood, while others enjoy the screeching of tires on pavement, or the excitement of a shot and a goal. When it comes to men’s health, this summer offers something for just about everyone.

Please consider giving a shout out to Jamin and Sijo on Twitter or Facebook as they drive across America, and/or consider donating to Clarky and Lambo who you can follow on Instagram and Twitter, and for updates along the Banger 3K, please “friend” on Facebook.

By donating and supporting the boys, you will not only help shift men’s health into high gear, but also help keep our patients and our friends out of the penalty box and firing on all cylinders.

 

Dr. Brian Stork is a community urologist who practices in Muskegon and Grand Haven, Michigan, USA. He is a member of the American Urological Association’s Social Media Workgroup, and is the Social Media Director at StomaCloak. You can follow Dr. Stork on Twitter @StorkBrian.

 

Are You Teaming Up for Movember?

Urology, Social Media, and Prostate Cancer Controversies

The past couple of years have witnessed a rapid rise in the number of urologists engaging in conversation using social media. Urologists across the globe are now participating in the International Urology Journal Club on Twitter (#UROJC), tweeting at conferences, and using social media to build personal and professional relationships. As a result, providers with a passion for men’s health, who may never previously met in real life, are sharing ideas and experience with respect to issues in urology and patient care.

This uptick in the use of social media comes at a time when when prostate cancer screening and the optimal care of the prostate cancer patient are being hotly debated.  More research is clearly needed to settle many of the debates currently taking place both in traditional media and on social media. It, therefore, makes sense for the global urology community to partner with organizations that have a similar passion for advancing and promoting men’s health through scientific research.

Movember – Raising Awareness and Funding for Men’s Health Initiatives

Movember is a movement that began in Melbourne, Australia, in 2003. Since that time, it has spread to more than 20 other countries around the world. Each November, participants raise awareness and money for men’s health by growing a moustache. As the month goes on, and the mustache takes shape, these men become walking and talking men’s health billboards. Participants use their mustache to facilitate conversations about a wide variety of men’s health issues including prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men’s mental health. They also actively raise money for the Movember Foundation by asking family and friends to donate to their efforts.

Movember is not just for men. Women (Mo Sistas), through encouragement, conversation, fundraising, and, in some cases, sheer tolerance, are a critical part of Movember’s success. Mo Sistas do everything Mo Bros do – they just don’t grow a moustache. Since Movember started, more than 4 million Mo Bros and Mo Sistas around the world have participated. In the process over $556 million dollars has been raised for the Movember Foundation.

Funding Cancer Research in Urology

 

Since its very inception, the Movember Foundation has supported ongoing research in men’s health. Currently the Movember Foundation is funding more than 832 men’s health programs worldwide. In 2010, Movember created a Global Action Plan to improve the clinical tests and treatments used for men with prostate and testicular cancer. Currently, Movember is funding prostate cancer research in four areas:

1. Developing more accurate blood, urine and tissue tests to differentiate between low risk and aggressive forms of prostate cancer.

2. Developing new imaging techniques that enable the earlier detection of metastatic prostate cancer.

3. Optimizing the management of men with low risk prostate cancer.

4. Understanding how increasing physical activity might improve the quality of life and survival of prostate cancer patients.

Movember’s criteria for research support encourages national and international collaboration. Working collaboratively, research groups are able to pool experience, streamline cost, and avoid duplication, in an effort to accelerate the  bench-to-bedside development of new investigations and treatments.

Disrupting the Status Quo

In the past, many different men’s health initiatives have come and gone. Movember’s innovative approach is unique in that each year, for a full month, the movement puts important men’s health issues – such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer and men’s mental health – back into the public spotlight.  The effect of the movement has been to not only energize men, but also healthcare, and even government.

One great example of this is the Prostate Cancer of Australia Specialist Nurse Program. The program, initially funded by Movember in 2011 with AU $3.6m, placed full time specialty nurses in every Australian state to help fill a gap in prostate cancer support and delivery. The pilot program was so successful that the Australian government invested AU $7.2m to allow the program to further expand. Movember has also created a variety of unexpected domino effects in the men’s health community. This year, our American colleagues, Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt and Dr. Sijo Parekattil, inspired in part by the success of the Movember movement, started the Drive for Men’s Health. There are likely many others who, if asked, would tip their hats in the direction of Movember for their inspiration.

When Urologists Participate, Patients Benefit

Urologists by their very nature are both competitive and cooperative. The Movember movement is a unique opportunity for urologists across continents to join with other individuals and organizations that are passionate about improving the health and quality of life of men.  Movember is also an opportunity for colleagues, who may have only met via social media, to cooperate and/or compete all in an effort to raise awareness and money for men’s health research.  Last year, for example, Canadian urologist Dr. Rajiv Singal, assembled an international Movember team of Canadian and American urologists, patient advocates, and other healthcare providers to raise money and awareness for men’s health. Working together, the team raised nearly CA $50,000 dollars for the Movember Foundation.

An Invitation to Team Up

In the spirit of collaboration and friendly competition, this November we invite our urology colleagues from around the world to start their own local Movember Team, or to join our international team as we attempt to better our fundraising performance from last year.

 

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