When 56-year-old Shane Newton, a father from Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, finally decided to visit his GP, it was too late.<\/p>\n
The cancer, which was in his prostate, had already spread to his bones – something doctors say is much harder to treat and is now incurable.<\/p>\n
Prostate cancer is relatively straightforward to manage if caught early, and he says, looking back, he \u00ab\u00a0wished\u00a0\u00bb he’d seen a doctor \u00ab\u00a0seven or eight months before\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n
He put his tiredness down to working long hours in a factory and did not think it was necessary to go to the GP.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0I kept putting it off, and just left it too long, I realise that now,\u00a0\u00bb he says.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0It’s just a man thing.. You just don’t like to admit you’re not feeling good, you just sort of get on with life, you have aches and pains…<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0Because of work, I did 12-hour shifts, and so I didn’t really get much spare time… so I just slept and went back to work the next morning.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
By the time he sought help, the PSA test – used by GPs to flag prostate cancer – was dangerously high.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0They said anything over 4 for my age is a red flag; mine was 78.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
Newton’s story reflects a wider picture. Men are less likely to visit the GP than women. In Cambridgeshire, around 40% of those attending health checks in surgeries are men, compared with 60% women.<\/p>\n
In England, one in five men will die before the age of 65, compared with roughly one in eight women. Women also live, on average, almost four years longer than men.<\/p>\n
Cancer accounts for the largest share of male deaths, while heart disease – much of it linked to blood pressure and lifestyle – remains the single biggest killer.<\/p>\n
They are statistics that underline why the government’s men’s health strategy, launched in November, has been described as long overdue.<\/p>\n
So, is anything changing, and how can men be kept healthier and living longer?<\/p>\n
At the Onyx Tribe CrossFit gym in Huntingdon, some believe attitudes are shifting. But even among those who prioritise fitness, health can still be overlooked.<\/p>\n
Louis Pearce, 24, a field sales executive, said despite being very fit, he sometimes ignored symptoms.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0The last time I went to the GP was four, maybe five years ago.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0I often get into a cul-de-sac, searching up myself about what the problems are with me, and I usually assume that in time, these things will pass, so I only go if it’s really serious.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
He suggested more accessible services – such as walk-in centres or helplines – could make a difference.<\/p>\n
Others say they see the same thing. Lukas Koziel, 42, said he had been putting off a GP visit.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0I haven’t seen a GP for about two years. I’ve booked an appointment next Friday, but I’ve been avoiding it \u2014 and to be honest, I don’t know why.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
GPs say they are having to adapt to these behaviours.<\/p>\n
Dr Neil Modha, at Thistlemoor Medical Centre in Peterborough, said some men still delayed seeking help until symptoms became serious.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0They may come in, for example, telling us they’ve lost two stones in weight, and we would hope they would have come sooner\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
He said that meant making every interaction count. A visit for back pain, for example, could become an opportunity to check blood pressure or discuss mental health.<\/p>\n
Dr Modha said services needed to be more proactive, reaching out instead of relying on patients booking appointments and being flexible.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0Many people might be in really busy jobs, and so Monday to Friday services may not work for them.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0We need to offer Saturdays, and here, we do open up on Saturdays until five o’clock.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
The approach reflects a wider shift in the government’s strategy – taking services into the community rather than expecting men to come forward.<\/p>\n
In Cambridgeshire, this includes mobile and self-service health checks in everyday settings.<\/p>\n
Machines in supermarkets, leisure centres and libraries can assess body mass index, blood pressure, heart health and body fat in around ten minutes.<\/p>\n
Michael Hadley, 49, a business consultant, tried one during his lunch break at Huntingdon library, describing it as \u00ab\u00a0simple\u00a0\u00bb and \u00ab\u00a0painless to use\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n
He said the results were \u00ab\u00a0surprising\u00a0\u00bb and had given him \u00ab\u00a0something to think about\u00a0\u00bb, after being told his blood pressure was slightly raised and his body fat was classified as \u00ab\u00a0high\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n
Councillor Luis Navarro, of Cambridgeshire County Council, said uptake had been encouraging.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0It’s free, accessible, and the results are almost instant.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
He added that use was now almost evenly split between men and women \u2014 something he described as \u00ab\u00a0positive\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n
The machines are linked to GP records and trigger follow-up calls where needed.<\/p>\n
But for many men, illness is not just physical – it can take a mental toll.<\/p>\n
Places like the Montagu Working Men’s Club, once associated with drinking and smoking, are now hosting something very different.<\/p>\n
Run by Hunts Community Cancer Network, the support group brings together men living with cancer – talking, playing darts and cards, and supporting each other in person and online.<\/p>\n
For Jim Smith, a long-time member who survived pancreatic cancer, it has been life-changing.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0You sort of descend into this vacuum. You’ve been looked after and cared for, and now you’re on your own,\u00a0\u00bb he said.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0You could be surrounded by family, but you feel very alone. And that is the only way I can describe it, feeling very alone, but surrounded by people.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0When you’re with people like these guys, they get it. They know how you feel.<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0Psychologically, I’ve improved a great deal, and that is due to this group.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
He said support like this was essential – and that men should not try to cope alone.<\/p>\n
Newton agrees. \u00ab\u00a0Get yourself checked\u2026 otherwise you’d be like me and leave it too late,\u00a0\u00bb he warned.<\/p>\n
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said:<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0The Men’s Health Strategy marked a turning point in how we’re taking comprehensive, coordinated action to address the health challenges facing men and boys.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
The department said it was investing up to \u00a33.6m in suicide prevention projects for men and boys and working with Premier League clubs to reach wider audiences.<\/p>\n
Do you have a story suggestion for Cambridgeshire? Contact us below.<\/p>\n
BBC Politics East will be broadcast on Sunday 1 February at 10:00 GMT on BBC One in the East of England, and will be available after broadcast on BBC iPlayer.<\/p>\n
Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When 56-year-old Shane Newton, a father from Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, finally decided to visit his GP, it was too late. The cancer, which was in his prostate, had already spread to his bones – something doctors say is much harder to treat and is now incurable. Prostate cancer is relatively straightforward to manage if caught […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-10248","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-uncategorized"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/placedesnations.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10248","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/placedesnations.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/placedesnations.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/placedesnations.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10248"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/placedesnations.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10248\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/placedesnations.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10248"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/placedesnations.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10248"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/placedesnations.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10248"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}