A health campaigner has called for men aged over 45 particularly those from the Afro-Caribbean community to get checked out for prostate cancer because of its “silent symptoms”.
Pamela Campbell-Morris made the call to BBC Radio Leicester listeners ahead of the Play Domino, Talk Prostate event, which is aimed at Afro-Caribbean men who are at higher risk of the condition. It takes place at Moat Community College, Maidstone Road, Leicester, from 2pm to 7pm on Saturday, March 10.
The comments come as Stephen Fry last week discussed his recovery from the condition following an operation in early January, helping to raise further awareness of prostate cancer by hitting the headlines in the national media.
Speaking during the broadcast on February 13, Pamela said: “In the UK one in four black men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime and that is double the risk faced by all men, which is one in eight. These are stats that are coming out from Prostate UK. The work that the Centre is doing, they have identified those gaps and are working with communities to see the best way of addressing that.”
The Project Assistant and Community Champion said: “We know that Afro-Caribbean men engage very well through dominoes, it’s a cultural thing. People talk about those hard-to-reach groups, I know with Afro-Caribbean men one way of engaging is through dominoes.”
Those at greatest risk are 45 and over and, or, with a father or brother who have had it. Pamela said: “Most men with early prostate cancer have no symptoms at all… the symptoms can be silent. Don’t wait for symptoms… please, please go and have yourself checked.”
The Play Domino, Talk Prostate event is being organised by the Centre alongside PROSTaid and Prostate Cancer UK.
Specialist speakers will be on hand to provide information and answer any questions about the condition, named as the UK’s third biggest cancer killer recently. A free hot Caribbean lunch will be provided for all attendees.
Pamela also praised the work of the Centre on BBC Radio Leicester, telling listeners that it is doing a “fantastic job in addressing inequalities” as well as “forging positive links with diverse communities of Leicester in addressing health right across the board”.
