Press release
VCH urges men to give health the finger
Vancouver, BC – Vancouver Coastal Health is urging men to use their finger and support a growing initiative to promote men’s health.
British Columbia’s largest health authority is a supporting partner of Canadian Men’s Health Week, taking place June 15-21. Among the actions associated with Men’s Health Week is a website from the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation that encourages men of all ages, shapes and sizes to take a finger and make an online pledge to live healthier lives.
“Men’s health is a serious issue that is often overlooked and requires more conversation, more awareness and more action,” says Dr. Larry Goldenberg, past chair of Urology at Vancouver General Hospital and current Professor of Urology and Mohseni Chair in Men’s Health at VGH. ”With the click of a button, men can make a commitment to reduce their health risks and be part of a national community aiming to improve their health.”
The statistics around men’s health in Canada are alarming: up to 70 per cent of men’s health conditions and diseases are preventable, yet their poor health choices lead to 45% of Canadian women over age 65 being widows, which is four times more than widowers. Men are also 79 per cent more likely to die from heart disease and 57 per cent more likely to die from diabetes.
“As a woman, wife and mother, I know how easy it is for men to focus on family and careers, neglecting their health in the process,” says Mary Ackenhusen, president and CEO of VCH. “The choices they make not only impact the people who care about them most, but also the health care system. That’s why VCH is getting behind this initiative and encouraging men to put their health first.”
Men can go to http://canadianmenshealthweek.ca/ and give health the finger with a simple click in support of men’s health—that can mean committing to lifestyle choices as simple as eating broccoli, taking the stairs more often or choosing half fries, half salad. The site also offers an online check-up to see what effect your current lifestyle will have over the next decade.
VCH is responsible for the delivery of $3.4 billion in community, hospital and residential care to more than one million people in communities including Richmond, Vancouver, the North Shore, Sunshine Coast, Sea to Sky corridor, Powell River, Bella Bella and Bella Coola.
FOR MEDIA ENQUIRIES:
Viola Kaminski
Public Affairs Officer
Vancouver Coastal Health
Phone: 604-708-5338
Email: viola.kaminski@vch.ca
