No fewer than 50 men were beneficiaries of the prostrate screening and awareness campaign organised by the Hawkins Deck of the National Association of Seadogs in the Alimosho/Agege axis of Lagos State.
The campaign was part of a continuous medical mission of NAS, also known as Pyrates Confraternity.
Speaking at the Hawkins Deck headquarters in Egbeda, Lagos, a Consultant Urological Surgeon and Head of the Urological Surgery Unit of the Federal Medical Centre in Ebute-Metta, Dr Apata Kehinde, said the screening is necessary for men above 40 years for them to know their status.
He explains, “Prostate gland is an organ that is located at the base or neck of the urinary bladder. The gland is situated in the urethra which passes urine from the bladder to the outside through the male organ.
“Prostate gland functions in two ways. Firstly, it helps in controlling urination and it also produces some of the substances that are seen in a normal male semen. In young men, the normal prostate gland is the size of a walnut which is less than 30 grams. As a man grows older, this gland grows larger and in some cases becomes cancerous. This is one of the major risk factors that make man helpless because once a man gets to 50 years and above, the chances of having prostate cancer rise above 80 per cent.
“Apart from ageing, there are other predisposing risk factors associated with prostate cancer. Some of them include a family history of prostate cancer, race, and dietary factors. However, although these risk factors can lead to the development of the disease, they are not the primary cause of prostate cancer. This is because the cause of cancers generally is still unknown to medical scientists.
“At the early stage, the disease comes with no symptoms and can only be detected through screening, though it exhibits some symptoms at the late stage. Some of the late-stage symptoms include the inability to urinate, discontinuous or weak urine flow, frequent urination especially at night, pain or burning with urination, and continuous back and hip pains.
“Given the asymptomatic nature of the disease at the early stage, experts recommend that, at the age of 40, all men should undergo screening for prostate cancer to allow for early detection of the disease. This will enable early treatment and management of the disease.”
Participants were drawn from Alimosho Local Government and environment. Over 50 men within the age range of 40 – 75 years plus attended the programme.
The Cap’n of Hawkins Deck, Mr Shola Ajayi, said the programme is one of the humanitarian awareness and advocacy programmes, amongst others of the National Association of Seadogs to give back to society.
One of the participants, Chief Ojigba Anyachebelu, commend Hawkins Deck for organising the program as it has to avail him the opportunity to know his Prostate status.
While commending the association, Anyachebelu urged other philanthropic organisations to do the same.
