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CancersurvivorsadviseNWTmenonpreventionCancerissecondleadingcauseofdeathamongmeninterritoryTuesdaySeptember3020147HEALTHWELLNESSCANCERPREVENTIONChrisMitchellAnyoneknowingthewhereaboutsofpleasecontactLouiseTremblay.Callcollectat613747-7800ext.2057.PetroleumLtd.1BreynatStreetFortSmithNT867872-4567ByMEAGANWOHLBERGDontbestupid.Saveyourselfandyourfamilyalotofgriefbeproactiveeatwiselygetanannualtestpayattentiontoyourbodyreduceyourstressandfranklydontbeafraidtopraybecausethatcanhelptoo.ThatstheadviceofPatrickScottapros-tatecancersurvivorfromYellowknifewhosharedhisstoryofdealingwiththediseaselastweekalongwithfellowsurvivorWaltHumphriesandtheNWTschiefpublichealthofcerDr.AndrCorriveauinrecognitionofMensCancerAwarenessMonth.ScottwasdiagnosedwithcancerinJan-uary2013afterhisdaughterforcedhimtogotothedoctoraboutalingeringcold.Hisrstbloodtestsinoverveyearsshowedel-evatedPSAprostate-specicantigenlevelsdemandingfurtherinspection.Thatswhendoctorsfoundaverylargetumour.ThatcoldprobablylingeredforaboutsixweeksandIprobablyneverwouldhavegonetothedoctorfranklyhadmydaughternotmadetheappointmentformeScottshared.NowinremissionScottisurgingothermenhisageintheNorthwestTerritoriestogetscreeningdoneandtoevaluatetheirlifestylesinordertostaveoffthetraumaofbeingdiagnosedwithapotentiallyfataldis-easelikeprostatecancer.Therearesignalsforprostatecancer.Youmayhavetopeelotsitcanbepainfulyoumighthavebloodinyoururineoryoumightgettiredeasilyhesaid.Youhavetolistentoyourbody.Ididnt.ThoughwomenbecomefamiliarizedwithroutinehospitalvisitsatayoungerageCor-riveausaidmen-especiallythoseover50-continuetobethegroupmostresistanttocheckupsscreeningandhealthadvicere-quiringalotofproddingfromtheirspouseorfriendstogetscreened.Whiletestingshouldbedoneyearlyoncementurn50only20percentofmalesintheNWTaredoingsocomparedtotwo-thirdsofwomengettingcheckedforbreastcancerhesaid.BecauseearlydetectioniscrucialforensuringpatientsdiagnosedwithcancerhavemoreoptionsandabetterchanceofsurvivalCorriveausaiditsimportantthatmenbecomemorecomfortablewithtalkingaboutandaddressingtheirhealthinordertocurbthestatisticswhichplacecancerasthesecondleadingcauseofmaledeathsintheNorthwestTerritoriesat25percent.Prostatecolorectalandlungcancercon-tinuetobethemostfrequentlydiagnosedcan-cersformenintheterritorywithcolorectalrates1.6timeshigherintheNWTthantherestofCanada.ThehighestratesareamongDenemen.Apartfromregularscreeningthedoctoradvisestheusualanon-smokinglifestyleofregularexerciseandhealthyeatingwithalcoholconsumptiondoneinmoderation.CorriveausaidthedepartmentofHealthandSocialServicesisworkingonnewwaystogetitshealthpromotionmessagingouttomenintheterritory.OneinitiativecalledWorkingonWellnesshasjustbeenlaunchedandwillseechronicdiseasereductionprogrammingbroughtintomale-dominatedworkenvironmentslikethediamondmines.BeyondpreventionHumphriessaidmoresupportisneededforpeopleaftertheyhavebeendiagnosedwithcancerlikehewasin2008.AtthetimetherewasnosupportgroupforpeoplewithcancerinYellowknifesoHumphriesandhiswifestartedonewhichcontinuestoexisttoday.Hesaidthereneedtobesimilargroupsinthesmallercommunitieswheregoingthroughthedifcultprocessofcancertreat-mentismademorestressfulbyisolationandtheneedformedicaltravel.EverycommunityintheNorthshouldhaveasupportgroupforcancerandotherseriousillnesseshesaid.IfyouliveintheNorthandasmallcommunityatthatandyouretoldthatyouregoingtospendtwoorthreemonthsinEdmontonitsquiteachallengethataddstoyourstresslevel...Talkingtootherswhovebeenthroughthesystemoffersinsightsyoujustdontfindinthebooks.Scottagreedthatnavigatingthemedicalsystemisaphenomenalchallengeforanyonepersonespeciallyalone.Hesaidthereneedtobemoreforumsforpeopletotalkaboutcancerandotherhealthissuesbothbeforeandafterdiagnosis.Wearentprogrammedtolookafterourselvesverywellinoursocietyhesaid.Therearentalotofdesignedopportuni-tiestoengageinthatwaysowehavetoworkharderatcreatingthoseopportuni-tiestosharewitheachotherandeducateeachother.CanceristhesecondleadingcauseofdeathamongmenintheNWTaccountingfor25ofdeaths.Ofthose26OFCANCER-RELATEDDEATHSarecausedbylungcancereventhoughitonlyaccountsfor13ofnewcancerdiagnoses20OFCANCER-RELATEDDEATHSintheNWTarecausedbycolorectalcanceraratethatis1.6timeshigherthanthenationalaverage.Denemenaremostatrisk10OFCANCER-RELATEDDEATHSarecausedbyprostatecanceratarate24lowerthantherestofCanada.Menovertheageof50aremostatrisk20OFMENOVERTHEAGEOF50getscreenedforcancersregularlycomparedto33ofwomen.