Ocho Rios men's health fair packs Turtle River Park for free cancer and wellness checks

Hundreds of men gathered at Turtle River Park in Ocho Rios, St. Ann, for a free men's health fair organised with the Jamaica Cancer Society, offering prostate cancer screening and checks for common chronic diseases.

Organisers said the fair, now in its fifth year after launching in 2022, aims to counter a culture in which many Jamaican men delay care until illness is advanced. Prostate cancer remains Jamaica's most common cancer, the leading cause of cancer deaths among men, and a frequent reason men are lost to their families at a relatively young age.

Participants register and have basic details recorded before moving to a vitals tent for blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, weight, height and body mass index. At the medical tent, clinicians from the Northeast Regional Health Authority carry out digital rectal examinations. Men then go to a lab for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests. HIV testing is also available, along with dental, eye, skin and general medical consultations. All services on the day are free, with referrals to hospital or health centres for follow-up where needed.

Attendance has climbed each year: about 150 men in 2022, more than 250 in 2023, over 350 the following year, and nearly 500 last year. Roughly 30 per cent of attendees return annually. Organisers said demand is now so strong they hope other parishes will copy the model, stressing that screening saves lives. Men over 40 are especially urged to get checked; those with a strong family history of prostate cancer are advised to begin screening 10 years before the age at which a relative was diagnosed.

Speakers also highlighted hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol. One in eight Jamaicans has diabetes, and many do not know it. Eye screening was urged for people over 40 and for those with a family history of diabetes or glaucoma. Clinicians encouraged daily walking, more fruits and vegetables, proper sleep, and attention to mental as well as physical health.

Crystal Beinsley thanked men who attended and women who brought them, saying the Northeast Regional Health Authority was glad to work with the Jamaica Cancer Society. The society is marking 70 years and said it remains committed to fighting prostate cancer in St. Ann and across Jamaica. Great House Pharmacy, described as Ocho Rios's first pharmacy when it opened in 1966, is marking 60 years and continues to support the society's events.

Among attendees recognised on the day was Esther M., who has brought her husband from Linstead, St. Catherine, for three consecutive years. Sponsors named included Nestlé, Lasco, NCB, JN, Irie FM, PBC Jamaica, IFM, Caramed Apotex and Great House Pharmacy. Organisers said the park also featured prize giveaways alongside the clinical services.