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S3 EP4: Breaking the Silence – Prostate Health & Men’s Wellbeing
32 Plays13 days ago
In this powerful and timely episode released in honour of Men’s Health Week and Prostate Cancer Awareness Day, we open up the conversation around a topic that’s too often avoided — prostate health and the importance of getting checked.
Joining James Ettridge, Head of People for BaxterStorey’s London region, is a panel of honest and courageous voices, each bringing their own perspective to the table:
- Dr Naveen Puri, Medical Director at Bupa, with over 20 years of experience in general practice and men’s health
- Mark Van Schalkwijk, People Manager at BaxterStorey, who shares his personal reflections on his health and prostate-checking journey.
- Greg Olszewski, Executive Head Chef in London, offering insight into why looking after yourself is vital, after being diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma
Together, they explore the fears, stigmas, and misconceptions surrounding prostate checks, while highlighting the importance of early detection and regular health conversations. With expert medical insight and raw personal stories, this episode aims to encourage men to take control of their health, speak openly, and support one another.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the UK — but early detection saves lives. Understanding the symptoms, knowing what to expect during a check-up, and breaking the silence can make all the difference. And, as you'll hear, the process is far less daunting than many think.
Please note: In this episode, the term ‘men’ refers to individuals assigned male at birth.
Disclaimer: This episode includes clinical language and subject matter related to men’s health. Certain anatomical and physiological terms are discussed in a medical context as part of an important conversation about prostate health and cancer prevention. Listener discretion is advised.
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Transcript
Introduction to Men's Health and Guests
00:00:09
Speaker
Welcome to FYI, the Baxter Story podcast. I'm James Ettridge, Head of People for London and Travel at Baxter Story, and I'd be your host for today's episode, where we'll be exploring the importance of men's health with a special focus on prostate cancer, which is part of our focus to raise the profile of Men's Health Week.
00:00:30
Speaker
Men's Health Week is taking place between the 9th and 13th of 2025.
00:00:36
Speaker
An important note, and when we refer to men today, we mean they are men that that have been assigned male at birth. So we're joined by three special guests today.
00:00:47
Speaker
Mark von Schultzfake, People Manager for Baxter Story, who supports one of our large group accounts. Mark has had a recent prostate cancer scare and has kindly agreed to share his story with us today.
00:01:00
Speaker
Mark, how are you today? Very good. Thank you and welcome, Mark. Thank you. We also have Greg Olszewski, executive head chef at a Key London account for us.
00:01:11
Speaker
Greg has had a challenging journey in his battle against cancer. His path in returning to work is truly inspiring, and we're so grateful he's part of this episode. Greg, thanks for coming on today's episode, and how are you today? Yeah, great. I'm really happy to be part of it.
00:01:28
Speaker
Fantastic. Thank you, Greg. Finally, I'm delighted to welcome Naveen Puri, who is the Medical Director for Bupa. Naveen is a doctor of 20 years experience, qualifying from King's College London in 2004.
00:01:43
Speaker
He enjoyed an almost decade long career as an NHS GP before joining Bupa and comes with a wealth of knowledge. Naveen is passionate about innovation and the digital transformation in medicine, prevention, personalisation and precision in healthcare, care and also inclusivity around health and wellbeing.
00:02:05
Speaker
We welcome Naveen to this podcast and look forward to him sharing his expertise. Naveen, welcome. Naveen Winslow you so James, pleasure to join you all today. Can you tell us a bit about your role UPA please?
Understanding Prostate Cancer and Men's Health Attitudes
00:02:19
Speaker
Yeah, I'm more than happy to do so. So I've been at Bupa for almost 10 years this year, James, and I started off at Bupa as a general practitioner, having been a GP in the NHS. And my journey with Bupa was as a part-time GP and part-time in the NHS. I then progressed through Bupa to your various different roles.
00:02:34
Speaker
lead physician, associate clinical director in our health clinics business. And then for the last two years, I've been a medical director in BUPAS, UK insurance business. I oversee a number of medical propositions, pathways, and I get to do amazing things like this, where I get to speak directly to folk and educate them about all things health.
00:02:52
Speaker
So really, but really happy to be a part of the conversation. Thanks, Vivian. We're really grateful you've taken the time out to join us because we clearly, we're not doctors. So we're really grateful for you to give your So what would be really helpful, just as ah as a scene setting, we, ah across back to the story, we have over 1,000 staff who are men in their 50s, which is obviously a significant proportion of the workforce.
00:03:17
Speaker
So it would be really helpful you can just talk a little bit about your experience around prostate cancer and, you know, the if there's any data you can you can give us, but also the myth of the some of the more invasive tests that are part of but the process, which I know men of a certain age will fear.
00:03:37
Speaker
Really, really happy to speak to that, James. so So in my career as a GP and a frontline clinician, I've come across many men with prostate symptoms and also with prostate cancer as well. Let's start off by looking at some stats then. So we know that prostate cancer is the biggest killer of men from cancer in the yeah UK.
00:03:54
Speaker
And it was interesting that you mentioned that a thousand men in your organisation are about the age of 50, because that is a really critical age when it comes to prostate care. It's not to say people below 50 can't get prostate cancer, but certainly from the age of 50 and above.
00:04:07
Speaker
we know that incidence it tends to rise. And so for that reason, doctors are much more heightened in their thinking around prostate cancer when a man above 50 in particular consults with them. Let's also then speak about some of the myths that exist around prostate checks and prostate health. I think unlike women who are medicalised from a much younger age because of things like cervical smears, pregnancy care, breast screening, and perhaps the openness that women have amongst themselves when it comes to discussing health and healthcare,
00:04:36
Speaker
you know Women go through periods from a very young age and therefore from the you know from the time of secondary school, they're already having conversations about their body, about their anatomy, about so healthcare and and seeking that.
00:04:47
Speaker
and Women are much more attuned, I think, to their health in the way that men aren't necessarily. So men will only ever see a doctor when something goes wrong, such as an injury or illness. Healthcare care is something which is reactive rather than proactive.
Prostate Exams: Myths and Realities
00:05:00
Speaker
and something which they should be taking part in earlier on When it comes to screening for men's cancers, then there are the two main cancers that men have, which are testicular cancer and prostate cancer. We encourage men to do those checks for themselves. They can do the testicular check for themselves. That's not something they have to go to a doctor at for.
00:05:15
Speaker
And when it comes to the prostate, the prostate gland is not amenable to a self-examination. You would need a doctor to do the examination for you. And so i think a lot of reticence and fear in men's minds comes about when it comes to considering a prostate exam.
00:05:28
Speaker
Something I'm really mindful of is the urban myths that exist around this. So, you know, whenever I've seen patients who I offer a prostate exam to, once they've had the exam, 99 times out of 100, they will say that was nowhere near as bad as I thought.
00:05:40
Speaker
and have taken the opportunity on some occasion to say, just out of interest, what did you think was going to happen? Or what had you expected a prostate exam to entail? And almost always they'll say something along the lines of, I thought, you know, the doctor would use but a big instrument or there'd be no gloves or there'd be no lubricant and it would be really painful.
00:05:56
Speaker
and that it would leave me traumatised and things of that nature. And as I say, 99 times at 100, they'll say it was nowhere near as bad as they thought. And that one time out 100 where it was perhaps as bad as it thought was going to be, there's often reason such as them being a particularly anxious individual, which is absolutely fine, or there being other reasons for the exam to be uncomfortable, like a skin lesion or other thing around the bottom to have made it, you know, not as straightforward as it could have been.
00:06:20
Speaker
No, that's great. And I think the purpose of this today is to display some of those myths around those things. Yes. So that's really helpful. So in terms of symptoms that men should look out for, what would they be?
00:06:33
Speaker
Sure. So I think when it comes to the prostate, it might help to know what the prostate does. And it has two basic functions. One is to filter urine from the bladder, which is your kind of internal water balloon, if you like.
00:06:43
Speaker
which releases urine through your penis into the toilet. And the second is to add seminal fluid, semen, to your ejaculate. So your testicles produce the actual sperm and cells, the prostate produces the fluid that mixes with that to produce an ejaculate. Those are the two main functions there.
00:06:59
Speaker
So what we consider the kinds of symptoms you might get with a prostate problem, they're usually symptoms that concern urination or with ejaculation. So things like having difficulty starting urine or difficulty maintaining a stream can often be a feature.
00:07:13
Speaker
We sometimes find waking up at nighttime or having pain when you urinate can also be a feature as well. Sometimes men will experience bleeding for the penis as well. and that could be from the urine, from their prostate or a combination of the two.
00:07:25
Speaker
So those are some of the symptoms that I might flag. I'd also say that sometimes if the prostate is inflamed or diseased, it can also be painful. And that pain doesn't always present itself as a a pain in one location. so unlike a wrist pain or a knee pain where you could say i've got a painful wrist or a painful knee.
00:07:39
Speaker
When it comes to prostate pain, it can be quite a grumbling sort of pelvic, you know, abdominal type pain. But discomfort, I think, a man would absolutely become aware of in due course and should be heightened to that as a possible indication of a prostate problem as well.
00:07:52
Speaker
Thank you. That's made very clear. And in terms of the NHS, what checks do they offer and how do men get access to those checks? That's a great question. So as I was alluding to earlier, when it comes to female health, women will have formal medical procedures such as a cervical smear for the screening of cervical cancer and also a mammogram for the screening of breast cancer.
00:08:15
Speaker
Unlike women, men don't have a formal procedure to undergo. And so we really do rely on men to present with symptoms or any concerns around their prostate health before a doctor will consider an intervention.
00:08:26
Speaker
The first intervention, after asking you some questions and considering whether you might have indeed a prostate problem, is to offer you a prostate examination. And if it's okay with you, James, I'll just take a couple of moments to speak through what that entails, just to demystify what men thank you may consider a prostate exam will entail.
00:08:41
Speaker
So the first thing to say is it's a really straightforward procedure. And that's very easy for me to say as a doctor who, you know, on an average clinic could do several of these a day. I recognise that for men. It's a once-in-a-lifetime thing when they first have it and then once to every year or every two-year thing when they have it. So we know it's consequential for men, but please trust that doctors are well used to men being nervous, being anxious, being concerned about these procedures.
00:09:04
Speaker
And we're also used to making you feel comfortable and and explaining the procedure in as much detail to help demystify it for you. The prostate gland then sits inside your pelvis and it's accessible by a finger into the bottom. And what we ask men to do is we'll normally ask them to lie down on a couch in what's called the left lateral position. You'll be lying on your left hand side, usually on an examination couch, and we'll ask you to raise your knees up towards your chest. And by doing that, you essentially push your prostate further downwards and ah closer to the opening of your bottom.
00:09:34
Speaker
A doctor will then put a glove on and will insert some lubricant around the finger we're going to use which goes into the bottom. And then the doctor will gently insert the finger into your bottom and feel your prostate gland.
00:09:46
Speaker
The finger doesn't have to go more than a couple of centimetres before we get to your prostate. And what we're looking to feel is a couple of things. So number one, we're aiming for the prostate, which should be a smooth structure. And we want to make sure it feels smooth rather than bumpy or craggy, which could indicate a potentially diseased prostate.
00:10:03
Speaker
The prostate should be sensitive when it's touched, but it shouldn't be painful. So if you're in pain when it's touched, that immediately gives the doctor an indication that something isn't quite right. And if it feels bumpy or craggy rather than smooth, then we would consider that to be a concern as well.
00:10:17
Speaker
And so the prostate normally has what's called a sulcus or a little dip inside it. It's like a groove, if you like. And if that groove is not there or when a prostate has enlarged, the groove will disappear entirely.
00:10:28
Speaker
So we're also feeling for the sulcus or the little dip to see whether or not your prostate
Personal Health Journeys: Mark and Greg Share Experiences
00:10:32
Speaker
is enlarged. And if if it's enlarged, that again gives us a clue. So we can get a lot of information. And while I've spoken to this, like you know, quite a lot of detail, the whole thing will be over in a matter of seconds. And as I say,
00:10:43
Speaker
in the majority of cases men often say that was nowhere near as bad as i thought it was going to be and once it's done we have the ability to either provide you with lots of reassurance or to put into place next steps if we need to lovely thank you navine that's really helpful and i you know the purpose of this podcast is to dispel some of the myths and see encourage the men in the workforce to go and get checked.
00:11:04
Speaker
Thank you for that. We'll come back to you in a minute, but now I'd like to move over to Mark. Thank you for joining us and for sharing your experience about your prostate. We know you've been through a recent challenging time. So can you just tell us what happened to you, please?
00:11:20
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. Thanks, James. You know, I think to start off with, I would have to say that I would categorize myself as you your stereotypical man prior to my recent diagnosis. If I could avoid going to the doctors for any reason, I would always get to great lengths to justify why I don't need to go. So it's not a place I feel comfortable in.
00:11:40
Speaker
However, thank goodness, my wife is the total opposite. For instance, always joke with her, if I have a headache, for her it's a migraine. If I have a migraine for her, it's a possible tumour.
00:11:52
Speaker
So that's pretty much how she would approach any health concerns, whether it's for herself or for anyone else in the family. You know, having recently dealt with some serious health concerns surrounding her dad, she's been on high alert for the last year and any symptoms that come to her attention, she's going to jump on.
00:12:09
Speaker
So of course, ah she had a conversation with my brother back in in June of 24. He's two years my older. And then she discovered that the men in our family actually have a history of having large prostates.
00:12:21
Speaker
My dad was diagnosed at 48, my brother at 50, you know, I'm now 52. So of course she immediately went about organizing for me to take a blood test to see what my PSA levels were, which I did back in November of 24. The results came back and as anticipated, they did indicate that my PSA blood levels were extremely high.
00:12:43
Speaker
which is the first indication that I may have a large prostate. At this point, the only symptoms as Naveen mentioned was that I was going to the bathroom quite often in the middle of the night. I was always making the excuse that I was drinking too much water prior to going to bed or the temperature of the room was too cold, but I was always looking for justifications as to why I was going when in actual fact, one of the main symptoms of having a large prostate is going to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
00:13:09
Speaker
So very reluctantly, i booked an appointment. I went to see the urologist recommended by our GP. And I have to say, he was absolutely fantastic. His experience with dealing with reluctant men was pretty obvious, yeah pretty evident. You know, he's very understanding. He was very empathetic. He understood the confidentiality of it all.
00:13:28
Speaker
He looked at the blood results. He understood the family history. And he immediately went about putting a medical plan together for me. The first thing I had to do was provide a urine sample and then was instructed to carry out an ultrasound test, which was really to see how the prostate may be affecting the bladder and then to follow up with an MRI scan to get a clear, you know accurate, detailed 3D picture of the prostate and what its actual size was.
00:13:53
Speaker
All these tests were really done in one afternoon, so there was very little impact on my daily movements. Once these results came back, which I would say was approximately about two days, it was confirmed that I'd have a large prostate.
00:14:05
Speaker
And the next steps were put in place. Now, these are probably the most important steps in the whole journey. And this was to determine if there was any potential tumor present or if there was any kind of active cancer cells.
00:14:16
Speaker
To do this, I had to go through a biopsy procedure where you go under a general anesthetic for approximately 45 minutes to an hour. They take a sample of the prostate for further examination.
00:14:27
Speaker
Yes, it is slightly intrusive, but necessary. And bearing in mind, you're actually sleeping through the whole process. It's a very little impact. So all in all, from beginning to end, I was probably in the hospital for just the morning, in at 8, out at 12.
00:14:41
Speaker
So pretty quick. Recovery time after the op was probably about a week. A couple of days later, the results came back. I was given the very fortunate and good news that I was in the clear, which of course was a great relief.
00:14:52
Speaker
you know And now I'm on prescribed medication, which I take daily to help control and monitor my prostate. And I have checkups every six months. So pretty much like how I would manage going to the dentist, you know fairly easy.
00:15:04
Speaker
So from from having a blood test to getting the results back from the biopsy, I'm probably looking at a two-month period. you know So pretty quick, easy, done and dusted. So ultimately glad I did it. And now I can move on.
00:15:18
Speaker
Well, thank you, Mark, for sharing that. that's It's very brave of you because not everybody would want to talk about it. but <unk>s And obviously delighted the the outcome of the results that you were able to do. You were able to move forward with with confidence now, yeah which is which is great. So so sort of what advice would you give to men as part of so of our kind of commitment to to not just a men's health week, but to the so's foreseeable future about looking after their health?
00:15:46
Speaker
Yeah, if there's any kind of advice I can give anybody, I would say that if you are of a certain age and there is a history of any kind of medical condition within your family, go and get it checked.
00:15:56
Speaker
This could be as simple as a blood test in my case. It is my understanding now that in the medical world, blood tests can provide answers to pretty much any medical concern that you may have.
00:16:07
Speaker
Pay attention to your body and health. If you are showing any kind of symptoms outside of the norm, just get it checked. What you don't want to do is procrastinate or delay or, you know, it's in the long run, it's just not worth it.
00:16:20
Speaker
and Absolutely. Thank you, Mark. That's really helpful helpful advice. So, Greg, thank you for joining us. You've been through, obviously, a very challenging journey. and We thank you for coming on and being part of this episode.
00:16:33
Speaker
Before we come to that, I know you and I were chatting previously about prostate checks, and you've mentioned that you haven't been checked for prostate cancer. And apologies for putting you on the spot, but are you able to share why you haven't had your check done?
00:16:48
Speaker
To honest with you, yes, I haven't had that checked and I'm probably due to have that done. Probably my answer will be the stigma attached to it. Most of the men are in my situation where they simply, I don't know whether they're too scared or the stigma is so bad that people just don't want to have it checked. Since was chatting James, I have made relevant of appointments and I'm just waiting to be seen, which is really good. i was really good to listen to I've been today and given a lot of background to how the procedure is completed and so on. I feel much more confident now and yes, it's going to be done.
00:17:24
Speaker
ah Well done for getting that done, Greg. That's fantastic. And just while we're talking, I have had my check done and yes, it wasn't my in my top 10 things to do of enjoyment, but it was great to get it done. and Okay. So yeah, I can honestly say you need to get yourself checked as quickly as possible.
00:17:41
Speaker
But Greg, should we just dive in a little bit more into how you tackled your challenges with cancer and your, you know, what was your diagnosis and your treatment and where? So beginning of 2023, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma.
00:17:57
Speaker
I went through six months chemotherapy, which was quite intense. The main challenges for me were the acceptance of the illness, but I really, really struggled at the beginning to accept it, that I've got this illness, I've got to deal with it. You know, first fault in my head is I'm dying and, you know, what I'm going to do.
00:18:15
Speaker
But eventually I got through this. Then you start your treatment, which is pretty much full on. Then you get into what I call the mode of I have to get through it. You know, I'm strong enough. I've got family. I have to get through it and i will get through it.
00:18:30
Speaker
And yes, you know, that kind of happened. Got all clear after probably eight months of some of all treatment. And first is the kind of joy. Yes, I'm, you know, I'm free. I've had it all clear.
00:18:44
Speaker
I can get on with it. But then I guess some I call the kind of post-silence anxiety and scare which I found difficult to to deal with. And I think I was probably too hard on myself.
00:18:56
Speaker
I think what's important is to be patient with yourself, to give enough time to heal, get your body to heal and your mind as well. I think that patience is really important. and we You can do it in your own pace rather than thinking this has got to be done in one, two months or three months.
00:19:13
Speaker
you're doing in your own pace is really important and you can't rush it i'm afraid yeah absolutely it's fantastic you're back at work and you're doing really well i mean from sharing your experiences with other men great what would you recommend as sort of the three key things that men can do to look after themselves i think being a chef the most important for me is balanced diet and nutrition When you're a bit younger, you can drink more and eat anything you like. But when you get to sort of past 40, the balanced diet and nutrition is so important, to not only to men, to all of us, to be honest with you.
00:19:51
Speaker
I think the second one, and I think we all, Mark and Naveen, we all spoke about this today, is that stigma with going to doctors and being checked and the thing with men is so, so common.
00:20:03
Speaker
You know, i feel fine, I'm not going to see a doctor or, okay, there's a long queue or I can't get appointment, but it's so important to not to be afraid or have that confidence in the health system and medicine to go and check yourself and have a proper diagnosis or whatever is wrong to you because it could be life-changing. I think last but not least is enjoy the moments of your life and then you never know what's around the corner.
00:20:32
Speaker
Those kind of experiences do change your outcome, output, however you want to call it, to your life and i think this is really important to enjoy whatever you have and appreciate.
00:20:44
Speaker
i think that helped me to appreciate what I have and appreciate my life basically a bit more. What a great summary, Greg. Thank you
Advice on Proactive Health Checks and NHS Protocols
00:20:52
Speaker
very much. So I'm going to go back over to Naveen now.
00:20:56
Speaker
And Naveen, just on the same sort of basis, what are the three pieces of advice that you can give to all the men in our business to ensure they look after each other?
00:21:07
Speaker
James, gosh, Craig's a hard track supporter. You've provided some really insightful andpiring and inspiring words there, Greg. I think from my perspective as a doctor, it would be, please, please be kind to yourselves and recognise that you aren't medicalised in the same way as the woman in your life. And so it's incumbent that you do look after your health, because if you don't, the worst case scenario is something may creep up on you at a later stage.
00:21:27
Speaker
And had you caught it earlier, you could have been in a much better position. So my advice to all the men in your company would be, if they are between the ages of 20 and 40, And indeed maybe 20 to 15, do examine your testicles once every month. That's a nice and easy thing for you to be doing.
00:21:41
Speaker
A really simple guide to doing that is available on Booper's website, but also on other websites online as well. So do you have a look at that and make that something you do routinely for yourself. Because if you have a lump on your testicle and have a possible testicular cancer, it's much better caught earlier. The survival rates are very, very high and when caught early.
00:21:58
Speaker
And that at least gets you into the mindset of looking after your health from an early age. Later in life, then, when you start to approach your 40s and certainly your 50s, if you do have any of the symptoms that we mentioned before around urination, painful urination, being at night time, being more frequently, difficulty starting a stream or maintaining the stream, those kinds of things, do you seek out the support of a doctor?
00:22:18
Speaker
A prostate exam is available to you at any time. That one might be indicated. And once you have your first one, you'll realise it's nowhere near as scary as you thought. If your prostate indicates you may have a potential cause for concern, you may have a blood test, which is Mark alluded to, the PSA blood test, which we can speak about in a second.
00:22:35
Speaker
So that'll be my second piece of advice there. Be very kind to yourself and seek out those pieces of support that's required. And the last thing is prevention is better than cure. So as far as we possibly can, if we can stop these conditions even starting in the first place, sometimes it is genetically predetermined, but in other cases, it may well be driven by lifestyle rather than genetics.
00:22:52
Speaker
Things like stopping smoking, keeping the control of your alcohol intake, as Greg said, a healthy balanced diet, remaining physically active. These kinds of things really do have an impact, not just on cancer, but overall disease and health and wellbeing. Starting these habits early or indeed at any time in your life, there's no such thing as too late.
00:23:10
Speaker
can really be beneficial in the long term as well. Thinking of it. And and just for absolute clarity on the NHS sort of piece around tests. So if you did nothing, would you not receive anything from the and NHS to remind you to go for a a test? Because I think there's an over 40s health check, isn't there, that that gets sent out?
00:23:31
Speaker
There is indeed, yeah. So there's no 40 health check, which is a generic check for for all people. It's usually focused on things like blood pressure, cholesterol, those sorts of things, though. What I will say is that when it comes to prostate cancer, because it tends to occur later in in life, i think most GPs are probably looking for it from the age of 50 and above.
00:23:49
Speaker
That said, if you have a prostate syndrome or concern or a family history of prostate conditions, such as Mark mentioned, then a good GP will ask you about that and maybe offer you the examination sooner as well. What I should say is that we know one in eight men will get prostate cancer and actually that falls to one in four for black men or men with black heritage.
00:24:06
Speaker
So it's really incumbent that, you know, people who are at risk, those of the family history, those of black or black, mixed black heritage, to consider that they should be seeking out medical support sooner. If I may, James, I'll just mention the PSA blood test, which Mark very helpfully mentioned earlier as well, because this is something I think men often expect that they'll be offered by the NHS.
00:24:25
Speaker
This is not a routine test in the UK. It is in some countries, but it's not in the UK. And the reason for that is, while it can be a useful indicator for a possible prostate problem, it's not actually that accurate. So it doesn't tell us whether you have or haven't got a prostate cancer test.
00:24:39
Speaker
but it can tell us whether you might have a prostate condition. There are normal things though that can cause the PSA to rise too. Having an erection can cause the PSA to rise. Having sex can cause the PSA to rise. Even being constipated can cause the PSA to rise as well.
00:24:53
Speaker
So there are lots of what we call false positives, which can distract us from what may be going on. That said, when you may need to have a PSA blood test, it'll certainly be made available to you by your doctor.
00:25:03
Speaker
But that's why it's important you engage with healthcare services, that it can be made available to you should it be required as well. Thank you, Naveen. That's really helpful. And really, I think that covers the tests that are available and the process as to how that would work.
Health Resources and Final Thoughts
00:25:17
Speaker
So just some closing thoughts from my point of view. Within Baxter Story, we have lots of different things that are available to our teams, including Aviva DigiCare. We have annual checkups available that are all done via a blood test through that you send through the post.
00:25:35
Speaker
We've got digital GPs. We've got really good support about mental health counselling. So if individuals are struggling to cope with a condition, then there is mental health support available.
00:25:46
Speaker
And also some nutrition support on a one-to-one basis, touching on the point that Greg made about, you know, that balanced diet is really important. And also, second, medical opinions.
00:25:57
Speaker
We have on our intranet, we have the Vine and as a whole, a whole host of information on there about health and wellbeing. We have an employee assistance program, which again helps the teams find help and support when they need it.
00:26:10
Speaker
So look this has been a great conversation and one that I hope helps men ensure they are looking after themselves and getting checked, not just for prostate, but also for other health concerns.
00:26:22
Speaker
So just to come to each of you very briefly, any final comments? So, Greg, anything else you'd like to add? Again, really happy to be part of this. I think it's so important, you know, in the current world.
00:26:35
Speaker
Thanks, Greg. Mark? Yeah, a big thank you yeah for inviting me here. I hope the message goes out there and I hope everyone listens to it. You know, it is an important message and let's get rid of that stigma.
00:26:47
Speaker
And finally, Naveen? Thanks, James. Well, first of all, let me thank Baxter Story for inviting me to be a part of the conversation. I'm really humbled to help provide some medical insight. I also want to thank Greg and Mark for being so with open and honest with their experiences. I think it really brings to light what we're talking about here and actually their experiences, I think, will help so many people. So thank you for being so inspiring.
00:27:07
Speaker
And my last point would be be kind to yourselves, men, and please, please do seek out medical support when you need to. These interventions are nowhere near as bad as you think. And I hope that the conversations that you've had today have really helped you take that first step to seeing a doctor when you need to. Fantastic.
00:27:21
Speaker
So thank you so much for being on this episode and sharing your personal stories and journeys. Although difficult, it's important we spread awareness of this important topic to help try and prevent any future issues.
00:27:33
Speaker
Thank you for joining us on this episode of FYI, the Back to Story podcast. We hope you found in valuable insights into our conversation, which could one day save some lives.
00:27:44
Speaker
Don't forget to subscribe for more topics and stay tuned for upcoming episodes soon. Thank you.