Sponsors of The Gleaner's 'Healthy Men Magazine at a sponsors' luncheon, held yesterday at the newspaper's North Street, central Kingston head office. From left to right are Earl Jarrett, general manager, Jamaica National Building Society; Rosemarie Lee, public information officer, National Health Fund; Andre Cowan, brand manager, Facey Commodity Ltd.; Lanna Bennett, director of sales and marketing, Cari-Med Ltd; Byron Buckley, associate editor, The Gleaner; Marie Stewart, communication manager, Jamaica National Building Society; and Rae Barrett, chief executive officer, National Health Fund. - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

Saying that it was challenging to get Jamaican men to test for prostate cancer, Earl Jarrett, chairman of the Jamaica Cancer Society, yesterday called for greater awareness of the disease.

Speaking during a sponsors' luncheon for The Gleaner's Healthy Men magazine which will be published tomorrow, Mr. Jarrett said ignorance was not a good reason to die.

"Men are having a high-incidence rate of prostate cancer in Jamaica, but the real challenge with men in Jamaica is that they tend not to approach a doctor with regularity and (they) get to the hospital at a late stage where diagnosis is made and treatment options are limited," Mr. Jarrett said.

September is being observed as Prostate Awareness Month.

Turn-out rate very low

Mr. Jarrett, who is also the general manager of Jamaica National Building Society, one of the sponsors of the magazine, said the Jamaica Cancer Society has been hosting prostate cancer screening over the years, but the turn-out rate has been very low.

"Only in the last two or three years that we now see two or three men on Friday," he reported.

Meanwhile, Rae Barrett, chief executive officer at the National Health Fund (NHF) - the main sponsor of Healthy Men magazine, said The Gleaner's idea to promote healthy lifestyle for men was an important step.

"(Because) the real challenge is to get through to men before they have the problem," he said.

Mr. Barrett noted that of the 320,000 persons enrolled in the NHF programme only 37 per cent of them are men.

"It is ironic that we cover 15 conditions and all of them apply to men - one doesn't apply to women (prostate cancer)," he said.

Mr. Barrett said some 4,600 men are enrolled on the programme for prostate cancer.

"The number of men that have come on the programme has exceeded all the estimates that we got, which says there is a demand and given the opportunity, men will and can respond," he said.

The NHF has spent just under $150 million on subsidy for prostate cancer.

In her remarks, Heather Campbell, pharmaceutical sales manager for Cari-Med, another sponsor of the publication, said prostate cancer awareness was important to save Jamaican men "who are basically dying out".

Other sponsors include Facey Commodity, Life of Jamaica and the CHASE Fund.

Events for Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

Prostate Cancer Symposium - Sunday, September 23 at the Hilton Kingston hotel. Admission: free.

Screening clinic every Friday at 16 Lady Musgrave Road.