My new chapter with the Island Prostate Resource Centre · Thursday March 19, 2009 by colin newell
In my 35+ years as a technical professional at a local University, I would find time in my schedule to do committee work, employee contract negotiations and mediation.
These and other volunteer positions put me in contact with a varied segment of my workplace. I found listening to people and offering creative solutions very rewarding.
Eventually, I would mentor younger leaders in this activity and move onto larger committees centered on well-being, work-life balance, including mental and physical health.
As fate would have it, my mortality came into sharper focus, at age 40-something, with some unusual blood test results: a higher than normal PSA (Prostate specific antigen) reading indicating immediate action was required. Off to a urologist, a biopsy and a bunch of research on my part! As it turned out, after numerous MRI screening sessions, more blood work, more physical examinations and – nothing was ever found. I was in the clear… for now.
It dawned on me after my clinical experience, that for every man that detects an anomaly such as this, another 5 men are blithely unaware that anything is amiss. So what’s the cure? Simple: Dialog, awareness, conversation and empathy.
Somewhere along the way, the Movember movement found me… or I found them. Movember originated in Australia and is all about medical research, education and awareness. During the month of November, participants eschew the often daily ritual of facial hair removal… growing a myriad of variants on the moustache.
I did 16+ years as a Movember team leader and, at times, a regional ambassador… a thinker… A talker… A media go-to… And ultimately, a fund raiser. Eventually I had done everything I felt I needed to do with Movember. A tip and friendly conversation with my Urologist, between the physical examinations and blood letting, led me to a Vancouver Island resource center and its executive officer Leanne.
For me, I had the broader view with Movember but I was losing sight of the big picture in my very back yard. I need to be clear, Movember does great work but I found that there were things that needed more attention, particularly the one-on-one personal touch.
The best moments of my journey thus far, on the subject of male mental and physical health, were the taps on the shoulder from younger lads (and older guys) struggling with something that made them feel alone. I was “first contact” for them. Listening to their stories and struggles — and giving them a bit of direction to the right resource or even some encouragement was life altering in many instances.
I would soon discover that the Prostate Resource Center would be the “first contact” point for hundreds of men annually. Much to my surprise, the resource center receives no base budgeted funding from anywhere but the generous pockets of sympathetic benefactors who see the benefit of front line resources.
They are the leanest of teams — and now I am finding my own place in this group — finding my voice as it were in a new chapter of my life as a servant to the community as a whole. I look forward to what awaits me with this group.
Spring into nasty grand parenting
