Maggi Barnard

CUC Parkes manager and Parkes Shire Councillor Jacob Cass.

“If there is one message I’d like to see people take away from Men’s Health Week, it is that there is never a perfect time to have conversations around our health, but they are so important and could save a life.”

These were the words of Jacob Cass, manager of Country Universities Centre (CUC) Parkes, at a morning tea to mark Men’s Health Week last Friday attended by about 30 community members.

“Men’s Health Week is important. We need to open up more dialogue about men’s health and remove the stigma around men being open about how they feel,” said Jacob.

He shared his struggles with his own well-being. “When I was 25, I hit a wall. I was depressed, weighed 180kg and was moving from job to job without a career ahead of me. I decided I needed to change what I was doing. I joined a gym, made monthly appointments with my GP, cut sugars and started working towards a career in the community and education sector.”

Jacob said he could change his life around because he started conversing with friends and family about his health. “It was scary at first, but the truth was that these were conversations they had tried to have, and I was finally ready.

“At CUC Parkes, 30% of our registered students identify as male, and it is important that they feel safe in having an open dialogue around their wellbeing. We offer students wraparound support, which means supporting their wellbeing with stress management tools and having an open-door policy, in addition to academic support.”

Men’s Health Week is celebrated in the middle of June each year and promotes making small changes today that can flow onto a healthier tomorrow. Book a check-up with your GP, drink more water, move a little more and talk with those around you.

The Parkes Prostate Cancer Support and Awareness Group performs an essential service in our community, but is in urgent need of more members to ensure the group’s long-term viability. 

During the period before COVID the group unfortunately lost some very good members, and post COVID the future of the group is in doubt as we are unable to attract men to attend meetings. At the Outback Classic Rally earlier this year, and outside of meetings, many men spoke of their experiences with cancer and indicated a group was still required for support, but unfortunately they do not attend the meetings. 

Men are more reluctant to share their medical problems whether that or embarrassment is the reason we do not know. 

Both Michael Lynch and I, who started the group, have reached the age of 84 and would not like to see this essential service terminate as we are both committed to the continuation of the group. 

We would like to invite men to our meetings on the fourth Tuesday of every month at Neighbourhood Central at 7pm. The group come together to support one another with confidential group discussions. 

By Pauline Gosper