{jcomments off}Throughout the month of June 2013, Action Cancer will be offering a series of health check events to men throughout Northern Ireland.  These will take place in Enniskillen (4th June), Belfast (10th, 13th, 20th and 27th June), Derry / Londonderry (18th June), and Ballymena (25th June).  Each MOT Health Check will offer tests for cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure, body composition, facial skin analysis and peak flow.  Lifestyle assessment and advice on cancer prevention and detection will also be provided.  For more information, contact Malachy Nixon at Tel: 02890 803344 or Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

{jcomments off}To mark Men’s Health Week 2013, the Belfast Men’s Health Group (BMHG) and the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust would like to invite you to a training session titled: ‘Top Tips for Looking after Yourself’.  Stress can affect anyone.  It doesn’t just make you feel bad - it can also be bad for your health.  The good news is there are steps you can take to deal with it.  This workshop outlines practical ways for you to start dealing with stress and to stop it building up in the future.  This free programme will be delivered on Friday 14th June 2013, from 10.00am - 1.00pm, in Clady Villa, Knockbracken Healthcare Park, Belfast.  If you are interested in attending, contact Paul O’Kane via email at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.   Please note that places are limited.

{jcomments off}Eating Disorders (EDs) and body image issues are, traditionally, thought of as something only women suffer from.  However, research shows that the number of men with disorders such as Anorexia or Bulimia is growing rapidly in the UK and Ireland.  EDs are no longer just for girls.  Treatment and support is available across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.  However, the stigma facing males suffering from these disorders creates massive barriers to men getting help.  A study is being carried out in the University of Ulster to look at the barriers facing men of all ages regarding disordered eating, over-exercising and body image issues.  This research aims to give a voice to men on these issues.  We want to talk to anyone working with men or with experience of these issues.  For more information, contact Una Foye at Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or Tel: 02890 366291.  For information on male EDs, visit www.mengetedstoo.co.uk  or contact EDANI on Tel: 02890 235959.

{jcomments off}The ‘Active Lives After Cancer’ project aims to support isolated people (aged 60+) from North Belfast who are affected by cancer.  The project is specifically targeted at those with a cancer diagnosis - and their family/carers - who are not, currently, accessing support services.  It offers: short term befriending visits; get-togethers; complementary therapies; transport to and from Cancer Lifeline; counselling; group health and wellbeing events.  Cancer Lifeline supports people who live in North Belfast, the Shankill area and Newtownabbey.  The organisation is managed by individuals who have experience of cancer.  For more information, Tel: 02890 351999 / Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit: www.cancerlifeline.info

{jcomments off}Infertility affects approximately 1 in 6 couples, and 40% of the problems experienced are related to the man.  Under the guidance of Professor Sheena Lewis, research at Queen’s University Belfast has shown that alcohol intake, recreational drug use, and smoking all cause damage to sperm.  Damage to sperm DNA affects every fertility checkpoint and increases the risk of miscarriage.  At Lewis Fertility Testing, the SpermComet^TM Test has been developed.  This is a second-generation sperm DNA damage test that provides more information than conventional semen analysis or any other sperm DNA test.  With individual sperm analysed for DNA damage, this is the most sensitive DNA test available.  Clinically defined thresholds guide couples to the best course of fertility treatment for them.  The Test can also explain 80% of previously unexplained infertility.  For further information, visit: www.lewisfertilitytesting.com

{jcomments off}During May 2013, See Change will be rolling out a month long Green Ribbon campaign to get people in Ireland talking openly about mental health problems.  More than 150,000 green ribbons will be distributed nationwide - free of charge - to spark a national conversation about mental health in boardrooms, break-rooms, chat rooms, clubhouses, arts venues, college campuses and around kitchen tables throughout Ireland.  The aim is to make the month of May every year synonymous with promoting open conversation about mental health, and challenging the stigma which is often attached to mental health problems.  For more information on how you can get involved, visit: www.greenribbon.ie

{jcomments off}The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) is inviting tenders for an evaluation of their 'Healthy Club Project'.  This initiative is run in partnership between the GAA and the Health Service Executive (HSE).  The aim of the Healthy Club Project is to explore the potential of the GAA club as a setting in which to promote the health and well-being of club members and the wider community.  The current tender is to conduct an evaluation of Phase 1 of the project, and the timeframe for this work is 22 months - commencing on the 1st June 2013.  The maximum budget is €22,000 (including VAT but not including design and print of final report).  Submissions must be received by 5.00pm on Monday 20th May 2013.  Please send tenders by email, along with a CV, to Mr Colin Regan at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.   For more detailed information, visit: www.mhfi.org/GAAevaluationtender.pdf

{jcomments off}We are issuing a call to researchers, service providers, practitioners, trainers, those who work with men’s groups ...  to submit a 200 word abstract for a Poster Presentation on their work with men in either the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland. These posters will be displayed at a forthcoming conference which is being organised by the Health Service Executive (HSE) in partnership with the Men’s Health Forum in Ireland (MHFI).  This event is titled ‘From Policy to Practice: Profiling the Impact of Ireland’s National Men’s Health Policy’, and it will take place on Thursday 13th June 2013 in Dr Steevens' Hospital, Dublin.

The aim of this conference is to highlight the key outputs in the area of men’s health in Ireland that have been delivered since the publication of the Men’s Health Policy and 5-year Action Plan, and to set priorities for core policy areas in men’s health in the future.

Abstracts should relate to work which falls under the following key themes:

• Gender specific health promotion targeted at men - alcohol, drugs, smoking, obesity, physical activity, violence, injury prevention and sexual health
• Men’s health in the workplace
• Men's health and fatherhood
• Gay and bi-sexual men's health
• Community development work with a focus on men's health
• Mental health promotion and suicide prevention in men
• Chronic illness prevention and treatment for men
• Gender and palliative care
• Men's health among ethnic minorities
• Men’s health training

All abstracts submitted will be considered for a Poster Presentation at this event.  Please submit your abstract by email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  by no later than 5.00pm on Friday 10th May 2013.  Notification of acceptance will be issued by Wednesday 15th May 2013.

Further details on the conference itself will be available in the near future.