Eight years ago, Daniel Opande was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Luckily, the disease was in its early stages, and he got treatment in time.
On Friday, he was at the BVI Red Cross headquarters along with more than 200 other men waiting to get examined for prostate cancer and other ailments.
The BVIRC’s annual Men’s Health Fair, which began early Friday morning, continues on Saturday and will be held again on Jan. 29 at the Catholic Community Centre on Virgin Gorda.
“I heard the announcement on the news, and I just wanted to see what they are doing here with people who are trying to know their status as far as prostate cancer is involved,” said Mr. Opande, a military man rose to the rank of lieutenant general before retiring from the Kenyan Army.
As the cancer survivor accessed some of the services inside the Red Cross building, many others lined up outside, filling out medical forms and listening to a talk on the importance of exercise.
Before 9:30 a.m., about 120 men had been registered, and many of them had already seen a doctor.
Kenrick Leslie, however, was still waiting his turn to see physician Dr. Charles McWilliams.
“I’m at that age – I’m 47 – where you have to do the screening,” Mr. Leslie said. “It’s actually long overdue for me.”
Though the carpenter and father of two was getting the prostate examination done for the first time, he wasn’t nervous, he said.
“I just have an open mind,” Mr. Kenrick said. “I decided to make the time and don’t let this pass me by.”
In the past, he’s made excuses for missing the fair, he explained.
“[Men] seem to be lackadaisical with our health,” Mr. Leslie said. “I am not careless, but I could be more efficient. It’s better for you to know than not to know.”
See the Jan. 28, 2016 edition for full coverage.
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