Suicide is the leading cause of death among men under 50 in the UK. Let that sink in. Not heart disease, not cancer — suicide. And yet, for far too many men, asking for help still feels like the hardest thing in the world.
That sobering reality is at the heart of Men's Health Week, running from Monday 16 June to Sunday 22 June, with NHS Greater Manchester throwing its full weight behind the campaign this year. The annual awareness drive is urging men — and the people who love them — to take preventable health problems seriously before they become life-threatening ones.
The Cancer Every Man Should Know About
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, and the statistics are stark. One in eight white men will be diagnosed in their lifetime — but for black men, that figure rises to a deeply troubling one in four.
The tricky part? The symptoms are easy to brush off. An increased need to urinate, particularly at night, straining when going to the loo, or that nagging feeling that your bladder hasn't quite emptied — these are all worth a conversation with your GP. They can be caused by a non-cancerous enlarged prostate, but ruling out cancer is always worth the appointment.
Men over 50, black men, and anyone with a family history of prostate, breast, or ovarian cancer are considered higher risk and are being specifically encouraged to speak to their doctor about their options without delay.
Your Heart Is Trying to Tell You Something
Heart disease is another major focus of this year's campaign, and men are at particular risk — developing cardiovascular disease earlier in life than women.
The good news is that many risk factors are manageable. Regularly checking blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels, ditching cigarettes, eating well, exercising daily, cutting back on alcohol, and getting a handle on stress can all make a meaningful difference. Small changes, as ever, add up.
The Mental Health Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight
"In Greater Manchester, more than 200 people die by suicide each year" — NHS Greater Manchester
Men account for three-quarters of all suicides in the UK — a figure that campaigners describe as a national crisis hiding in plain sight. NHS Greater Manchester is pointing men towards peer support networks, the Greater Manchester Bereavement Service, Samaritans, and Papyrus as immediate sources of help.
One practical step anyone can take right now is completing the Zero Suicide Alliance's free 30-minute online training — a resource designed to help ordinary people spot the signs and potentially save a life. You don't need to be a mental health professional. You just need to care.
For anyone interested in the broader picture of health and lifestyle stories we cover, there's no shortage of ways to take better care of yourself — and the people around you.
The Free NHS Check You Might Not Know You're Entitled To
If you're aged between 40 and 74 and don't have a pre-existing chronic condition, you're entitled to a free NHS Health Check every five years. The 20–30 minute appointment screens for risk factors linked to heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, and stroke, and offers tailored advice on reducing them.
Your GP or local authority should be in touch with an invitation, but if you haven't heard anything, don't wait — ring your surgery and ask. Further information is available at nhs.uk and shiningalightonsuicide.org.uk.
Men's Health Week isn't just a campaign — it's a reminder that getting checked, speaking up, and looking out for the blokes in your life could genuinely be the difference between life and death. Forward this on. It might be the most important thing you do this week.
