Men’s Health Week serves as a timely reminder for us all to
stop and give thought to the health of boys and men across Australia.
Many Australian males that I know often embrace the “she’ll
be right” attitude to life, but when it comes to health issues all too often
they are not alright.
Right from birth, boys suffer more illness, more accidents
and die earlier than females. It’s sobering to learn that an Australian boy
born in 2010 has a life expectancy of 79 years while a girl will on average, live
to 84 years old.
Accidents, cancer and heart disease account for the majority
of deaths amongst Australian males, but this week should be a celebration of the
good things that men bring to our community and a focus on what they can do to
improve their health.
The MedicAlert team often hears stories about men who
thought they were bullet-proof and only decided to wear one of our distinctive
emblems after a near-miss or near-fatal incident.
Whether you've got a heart condition, take regular medication,
have an allergy or some other medical ailment that healthcare professionals and
emergency crews need to know, then use this week to turn thought into action
and become a MedicAlert member as part of your personal risk-management strategy.
To me it is ironic that many men encourage their wives and
partners to wear our distinctive Medical ID when they themselves should also be
making the same decision and enjoy the same peace of mind.
Men’s Health Week is a reason to look out for your mates and
loved ones and to give them a little nudge to better care for themselves. Life might
be short but with some greater understanding and enhanced effort we can all be
here for a while longer.
My parting thoughts to all men, young and old this week are;
if something doesn't feel right or hurts, then get it checked – don’t wait and
see if it fixes itself and always listen to your body because you're the one
who can make the difference.
Sandra Turner
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