Charisma Church Pastor Kevin Harris knows all to well the importance of checks and balances. During a colonoscopy, a polyp was discovered that was learned to be benign. Because of what he has been through Harris can speak to the importance of early screening and testing. That motivated him to organize an event for men to come together and to be educated about health matters that directly impact them.
With September observed as prostrate cancer awareness month, and in an effort to provide critical information about not only prostrate cancer but other important medical issues that men face, Charisma Church teamed up with Bahamas Harvest Church (BHC) to host the men's health seminar at BHC at which Internist and Gastroenterologist Dr. E. Marcus Cooper who performed Harris' colonoscopy, spoke.
The seminar was predominantly attended by men for an environment conducive to the exchange of information between Cooper and the men in attendance.
The doctor was frank and direct in his discussions about major health challenges Bahamian men face including colon cancer, prostrate cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and erectile dysfunction, as well as the importance of general health. He also addressed the benefit and importance of men having their annual exam or physical - something he said many men neglect. As well as the importance of men having a colonoscopy starting in their forties.
"We have an epidemic of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity which leads to heart disease that leads to kidney disease that leads to strokes. Men are so busy and consumed usually with their work and other responsibilities that they tend not to seek the advice of a healthcare professional on a regular basis, even if it's only once a year and this is very important in preventing the progression of a lot of these chronic medical conditions and screenings for things like cancer or prostrate cancer which is specific to men," said Cooper.
He also spoke to the men about the importance of lifestyles and preventing conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes.
"The men's health seminar was definitely a success. We were able to reach our target audience which were men who are much less likely to seek medical attention as compared to women. And we know that in the country that the average life span of a male is probably three to five years less than women, so we wanted to give men the opportunity to be informed and educated about their health and to ask questions that they needed answers to." In a country that is predominately of African descent, Cooper said Black men are at higher risk of developing prostrate cancer. He said seeing a physician annually and having their prostrate screened, could be as simple as an annual PSA (prostate specific antigen), which is a blood test medical professionals use to help them identify people that are having issues with their prostrate.
"Being screened for colon cancer at the appropriate age which is now 45, some method of colon cancer screening including a colonoscopy which is probably the gold standard but there are other methods of screenings for colon cancer that will allow us to detect small polyps which grow undetected and become colon cancer."
Cooper performed Harris' colonoscopy.
Harris shared his experience that led to him having a colonoscopy.
"I was working closely with my friend, the late award winning gospel legend Kevan McKenzie, who passed away as a result of stage 4 colon cancer, when he insisted that every man that he knew go and get checked out and have a colonoscopy. So, I went in to see Dr. Cooper who performed my first colonoscopy and it was during this procedure that they discovered I had a polyp. It was sent for testing and the results was that it was benign. The thing was, I had no symptoms or any indicators [of having a polyp]. I wasn't feeling anything at all, but I am so thankful that I had the procedure."
The doctor told the men the fact that they do not have any symptoms does not mean that an early colon cancer or colon polyp is not there.
"I try to stress and highlight the importance of having screening when you're healthy and not waiting for symptoms which is often the sign that things have spread," said Cooper.
Gesner Dalmon found the seminar impactful.
"For me, personally, I learnt a whole lot about my body, which I didn't know. I learnt that it's very key and important for me to have an annual checkup seeing that I am in my 40s. I learnt about some of the things that can affect my body in a way that I never thought that my body would be affected by – such as the type of foods that I eat – and most of the things that were mentioned, those are the things that I eat. So, now I have a huge decision to make, even though I am feeling well and it doesn't seem to be anything wrong with me. But then again, you never know, because I have not done a check up, so I really don't even know."
The doctor said the seminar proved to be relevant and necessary and that the men benefited from information and hopefully that it would translate into a healthier male population.
It was his hope that the men took the information they learned and followed up and spread the word to other men about the importance of being intentional about their health.
"It doesn't make sense to work your entire productive life only to retire and find out that you have some catastrophic illness that consumes all of your funds and affects your ability to enjoy all of the things that you have worked so
hard for," said Cooper.
Gospel recording artist Mr. J led the men in praise and worship. Pastor Mario Moxey and Bishop Walter Hanchell, Great Commissioned Ministries founder and CEO were also present.
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