Free MOT health check for Ballymena’s ‘Action Men’

The male cancer awareness campaign runs throughout June and aims to encourage men to ‘Get a Grip’ of their general health and to highlight awareness of the signs and symptoms of male specific cancers such as testicular and prostate cancers.

Every year in the Ballymena area, 191 men are diagnosed with and 65 men die from cancer. Over the campaign period, 700 free M.O.T. health checks for men will be offered across Northern Ireland.

The clinic at the Ballymena North Business Centre will operate on a drop-in, first come, first served basis.

Malachy Nixon, Action Cancer’s Male Health Promotion Officer, explained why the charity is offering these health checks to men: “Every year in Northern Ireland there are approximately 4,000 men diagnosed with cancer1 - that’s 11 men every day. Although men are 16% more likely to develop cancer than women, they are 40% more likely to die from the disease.

“This has been attributed to poor lifestyle choices, such as eating an unhealthy diet and taking less exercise, and reluctance to discuss personal health matters. By not monitoring their health they are at higher chance of not detecting cancer or other serious conditions at an early and, hopefully, more treatable stage.

“As over half of all cancers could be prevented with the right lifestyle choices, such as eating a healthy diet, taking regular exercise, not smoking, drinking alcohol responsibly and being safe in the sun, our MOT health checks present men with a snap shot of their general health which can empower them to make more positive lifestyle choices in the future.”

The free M.O.T. health checks incorporate a number of assessments including blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose, facial skin analysis, peak flow measurements and body composition analysis, as well as lifestyle advice and information on male specific cancers. These checks do not diagnose cancer but aim to increase awareness of current health and the importance of early detection.

Rugby Star Chris Henry said: “The work that Action Cancer does to highlight male health issues through its Action Man campaign prompts men to stop and think about their lifestyle and how to make informed choices to improve their well-being and reduce their risk of cancer and others serious illnesses.

“By paying more attention to our health, keeping our equipment in check and approaching our GPs if we have any concerns, we can actively help to keep ourselves fighting fit.”