Community Health & Wellness

Wellness Wednesday | No-shave November and men’s health

The American Cancer Society’s estimates for prostate cancer in America this year are approximately 299,010 new cases and about 35,250 deaths.

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Their estimates for testicular cancer are lower, yet no less important, with about 9,760 new cases and approximately 500 deaths. Only 41.6% of men are seeking mental health treatment compared to 56.9% of women. However, men die by suicide four times more often than women.

Why are we sharing these specific statistics? It’s that time of year again when men (and some women, too) ditch the razors and sheers to show their support for those whose lives have been impacted by men’s health issues, including prostate and testicular cancers, mental health and suicide prevention.

No-shave November: How it all started

Originally started in 2009 by the Hill family as a simple Facebook campaign in honor of their father, Matthew Hill who was unable to beat his battle with colon cancer. The idea of growing your hair and holding onto what many cancer patients lose quickly resonated with many people.

In 2021, No Shave November partnered with the American Cancer Fund to ramp up fundraising efforts for cancers and issues specifically impacting men. The initiative now includes topics like mental health and suicide prevention.

Why should you get involved in men’s health?

It’s no secret that men are less proactive when it comes to their health and preventative medicine. We want that to change! So, many men, including GHPC’s own Scot Fleshman, ARNP, FNP-BC (sporting his beard from last November) participate in No Shave November.

This supports the goal to create visual representation of this awareness campaign and to raise funds for research and support of men’s health. Our aim is to create open conversations around the issues men face with their health, eliminate the stigma about asking for help, and encourage the men in your life to seek regular preventative health care.

How you can support men’s health

• Ditch the razor and sheer and join in as an individual or team to raise funds to donate to no-shave.org. Click here for a list of the benefiting foundations.
• Encourage the men in your life to book regular wellness checkups to stay on top of their preventative health care.
• Share your no-shave efforts on social media with the following hashtags: #Movember #MensHealth #GrowAMo #SuicidePrevention #ProstateCancerAwareness #MentalHealthMatters #MoBros and don’t forget to tag Gig Harbor Primary Care on Facebook and Instagram. It takes the effort of everyone to make a real impact on facing men’s health challenges head on. We believe you can make a difference!

The Wellness Wednesday column is written by Scot Fleshman, an advanced registered nurse practitioner and board-certified family nurse practitioner. Fleshman and his wife, Jessica Hopkins, own Gig Harbor Primary Care.