Call for Women to Give the Gift of Men’s Health this Valentine’s Day
New York, New York (PRWEB) February 14, 2015 -- World renowned prostate cancer surgeon and men’s health physician, Dr. David Samadi, is calling for women to urge men to be more proactive and preventive about their health this Valentine’s Day.
Dr. Samadi urges all women to take the #samadichallenge as a gift to their men for Valentine’s Day. To accept the challenge, women must get a man in their life to have a routine PSA screening and get testosterone levels checked, record a video message challenging three other women to do the same and post it on the Women for Prostate Health Facebook page.
“Getting men to care about their health is a real issue and we know that women are vigilant when it comes to screening. We need them to motivate the men in their lives to have that same proactive attitude towards their health,” said Dr. Samadi.
Statistics show that women make over 70% of the medical decisions in a household. Women are proactive and anticipate health issues and practice prevention. Research also shows that they ask a lot of questions of their doctor and want to make an informed decision regarding their health.
“My husband of 27 years was diagnosed with prostate cancer and is now cancer free thanks to Dr. Samadi. I want to challenge my female friends to get all of the men in their lives tested. It’s the numbers that save lives. Symptoms do not have to be present for cancer to be present. The PSA is an early indicator of prostate cancer,” says Lisa Hill who took the #SamadiChallenge in 2014.
“I cannot stress enough the importance of being your own advocate. But most male patients I see either come with, or are encouraged to go to the doctor by their wife, mother, daughter or girlfriend. Women are the ones who can push men to educate themselves and make their health a priority and personal responsibility,” said Dr. Samadi.
Men live an average of 5 years less than women. More men suffer and die from chronic illnesses than women. They’re 1.3 times more likely to have cancer than women and 2 times more likely to die from liver disease. The evidence is clear and the risk is high; men need to be more attentive to their health.
In particular Dr. Samadi wants to highlight the severity of prostate cancer in men. “There are 233,000 new cases in the U.S. every year and 1 out of 7 men are diagnosed. Due to these hard facts, getting an annual PSA screening is essential.”
The United States Preventive Services Task Force screening standards claim men should start getting their PSA (prostate specific antigen) screenings at age 55.
Dr. Samadi believes it to be wise for men to begin screening for their PSA between the ages of 40-45. “If you have a family history or are african american, you’re more at risk for prostate cancer. It’s important to get a PSA screening at age 40 to learn what your baseline is. Then have a conversation with your doctor about where you’re at and how to watch it over time.”
The number of younger men diagnosed with prostate cancer has increased 6 times in the last 20 years and the disease is more likely to be aggressive.
According to the American Urological Association, a PSA screening can find prostate cancer early, before it has spread. Early treatment can help some men avoid problems from cancer later on and live longer.
The goal of the #samadichallenge is to unite all women to:
-Learn the risk factors of common diseases in men such as prostate cancer
-Improve the lifestyles of the men in their lives
-Encourage men to get screened annually
-Push men to seek treatment immediately in case of a positive diagnosis
“Women are better advocates and care more about important issues related to health than men. They take their health more seriously. We need that kind of thinking to rub off on men,” expresses Dr. Samadi.
As a gift to help women get started, Dr. Samadi put together The Ultimate Valentine’s Day Guide for Women on Men’s Health:
For men in their 20s:
-Complete physical every three years
-Get blood pressure checked every year
-Cancer screenings every three years particularly for thyroid, testicles, lymph nodes, mouth and skin
-Cholesterol test for total, LDL and HDL (the good kind) every three years
-Testicular self exam every month
For men in their 30s
-Complete physical every 2 years
-Get blood pressure checked every year
-Cancer screenings for thyroid, testicles, lymph nodes, mouth and skin every three years
-Cholesterol test for total LDL, HDL (the good kind) every three years
-Testicular self exam every month
For men in their 40s
-Get blood pressure checked every year
-Cancer screenings for thyroid, testicles, lymph nodes, mouth and skin every three years
-Cholesterol test for total LDL, HDL (the good kind) every three years
-Testicular self exam every month
-Complete physical every 2 years
-Baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test and digital rectal exam (DRE)
-Stool test (for colon and rectal cancers) every year
For men in their 50s
-Get blood pressure checked every year
-Cancer screenings for thyroid, testicles, lymph nodes, mouth and skin every three years
-Cholesterol test for total LDL, HDL (the good kind) every three years
-Testicular self exam every month
-A sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy (for colon cancers) every three to four years or as recommended by your healthcare provider
-PSA and DRE exam every year
Learn more about Women for Prostate Health online and on Facebook.
ABOUT DR. DAVID B. SAMADI
Dr. Samadi is a board certified urologic oncologist trained in open, traditional and laparoscopic surgery and is an expert in robotic prostate surgery. He is Chairman of Urology and Chief of Robotic Surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital. He has dedicated his distinguished career to the early detection, diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer and is considered one of the most prominent surgeons in his field. Learn more at http://www.roboticoncology.com/index.php
Lauren Guerrieri, Dr. David Samadi, http://www.roboticoncology.com, +1 3152253001, [email protected]
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