A new report from the men's charity Movember indicates that a third of men in Wales do not live to see their 75th birthday. The charity is urging the Welsh government to create a dedicated men's health plan to address this.
The report highlights that nearly 7,000 men in Wales died prematurely in 2024. It suggests that men often die from preventable conditions or those that could benefit from earlier treatment, such as certain cancers, heart, lung, and liver diseases, as well as issues related to drugs, alcohol, and suicide.
Ben Lidgey from Cardiff discovered he had testicular cancer after an accidental kick from his son. He initially delayed seeking medical help, thinking the pain would subside. Former footballer John Hartson, a recovering gambling addict and testicular cancer survivor, also supports the call for a men's health plan, noting his own initial reluctance to address a lump.
The Welsh government stated that it is already tackling men's health challenges through existing strategies for suicide prevention, self-harm, mental health, and cancer. These efforts focus on prevention, early intervention, and encouraging men to seek help sooner.