JRMC Foundation Director Lisa Jackson and Jamestown Swim Coach Ben Smith. Photo: JRMC

JAMESTOWN, N.D. (JRMC) – Prostate, testicular cancer, as well as mental health, are key issues facing men.

“We all know someone who has dealt with one or more of these issues, or maybe you have personally. Let’s get people talking about men’s health so we can break any stigma,” said Ben Smith, Jamestown High School head swim coach and men’s health advocate.

Dr. Christopher Cost, urologist at Jamestown Regional Medical Center, agrees.

“Silence can be our worst enemy. Talking about these issues and seeing a specialist are the necessary steps to below-the-belt health,” he said.

Misinformation about men’s health issues is abundant, Dr. Cost said, in part because it’s so private. Some of the most common ailments are incontinence, low energy and erectile dysfunction.

Men’s health is in crisis, according to the Movember Foundation. Men are dying on average six years earlier than women and for largely preventable reasons. Prostate cancer rates will double over the next 15 years. Testicular cancer rates have already doubled in the last 50. And across the world, one man dies by suicide every minute of every day, with males accounting for 60% of all suicides, according to the Movember Foundation website.

This drove Smith to advocate and raise funds for the national awareness campaign “Movember.” He has already raised $3,000 and half will go JRMC awareness efforts through “Growvember” and the JRMC Cancer Center. T-shirts are available from Orriginals at their website www.orriginals.com/movember-apparel/

Dr. Cost says there are essential questions to ask: How often do you go to the bathroom? When you go, is it urgent? Do you have blood in your urine? How are things in the bedroom? Are you feeling out of energy?

Know that various treatment options are available locally. Patients can self-refer, meaning they don’t have to visit their primary physician first. They can make an appointment directly at JRMC.
Let’s move from embarrassed to empowered.

To schedule an appointment, call JRMC Urology at (701) 952-4878.