Blue September with ‘Buck’
Sir Wayne ‘Buck’ Shelford is putting the onus on men to get their prostate checked out as part of the Blue September drive, as Campbell Burnes reports.
Our latest rugby knight is again raising awareness for prostate cancer this month.
‘Buck’ is back to kick some butt. He has no qualms about getting on the case of Kiwi men who don’t look after their health – which is, unfortunately, far too many of us. Specifically, he wants to see more men in the target age group, 45-50, get their prostate checked out before it becomes a very real issue.
“I don’t mind getting up blokes, calling a spade a spade and telling them to sort their bloody act out,” says the former All blacks captain, now 63 and in pretty good nick, despite a shoulder reconstruction and two wonky knees. He wants blokes to get to the doctor. “We preach the same stuff every year. The stats really haven’t changed that much, so I wonder: are the men listening? Are parents talking to their teenaged boys about it? I know for a fact if I ask the question, none of the men talk to their boys about prostate cancer or testicular cancer. we have to start having that conversation because we are losing too many people from this disease,” say shelford.
“It’s about wising up to the fact that it’s something we own, because it belongs to men.”
He has concerns, too, about Maori and Pasifika men, especially in rural areas, not having easy access to a doctor. Cost is another factor.
“All of a sudden, they get to their 50s, they’ve never been checked and they’ve got prostate cancer. better to have the ambulance at the top of the hill rather than the bottom,” he says.
shelford is a strong advocate of annual check-ups after the age of 45, but younger men should get checked out if they have any symptoms or family history of prostate cancer.
A PSA blood test and a rectal exam can help detect issues.
“If you think you might have an issue down there and your doctor says, ‘Don’t worry about it,’ then go and see another doctor for another opinion. some doctors can be a bit slack.
“If you get it early, at least you can do something about it.”
shelford himself had his own cancer issue with non-hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2007-08. He came through it but still has to stay on top of his health and check-ups with his oncologist.
“while I was going through my journey, I noticed there wasn’t a lot of information about testicular or prostate cancer. There was a lot about breast or cervical cancer.”
shelford is now a blue september ambassador, as are other rugby notables such as stu wilson and slade Mcfarland.
He had been booked into a few blue september events until Covid-19 struck again. The bay of Plenty-waikato NPC match in Tauranga, slated for september 4, was to be a fundraiser but is now postponed.
shelford does have another event looming, at which he will be guest of honour. October 7 will see a national tribute dinner, doubling as a fundraiser for the north Harbour rugby union. He is a life member of the union.
He is still active in rugby, President of his beloved north shore club, which won the north Harbour premier competition this season under the coaching of his old mate Frano botica. earlier in August he was the manager of the Classic All blacks on a memorable weekend on the east Coast, the Classics playing the ngati Porou rep team and enjoying the famed hospitality to the full.
‘Shelford is a strong advocate of annual checkups after the age of 45, but younger men should get checked out if they have any symptoms or family history of prostate cancer.’
Last year he was involved in the TV programme Match Fit, which really struck a chord with viewers as 40- and 50-something former All blacks used rugby as the vehicle to get fitter and healthier. shelford did not play, but hammered home the message: “we have to be mindful that we’re not all invincible and infallible.”
He joined the realm of rugby knights at Queen’s birthday. It has not changed his life materially, he quips, though admits it helps his profile in backing these sorts of causes.
“you get the knighthood and you just get on with what you’re doing. you don’t tend to think about it at all, but everyone brings it up, saying stuff like ‘Welcome, sir buck!’”
Today, 10 new Zealand men will be told they have prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in new Zealand men – one in eight will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime.
More than 3500 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year.
More men are diagnosed with prostate cancer than women are diagnosed with breast cancer.
More than 650 men die from prostate cancer in nz each year. That’s 55 men dying each month.
There are over 42,000 men in new Zealand living with prostate cancer.
early detection can save lives, and screening for prostate cancer can be done with a simple PSA blood test arranged by your gp.
Men over the age of 50 should get regular check-ups (at age 40 if there’s a family history).
The Prostate Cancer Foundation nz receives no government funding and aims to raise $1 million during its blue september fundraising month so it can carry on providing vital support, funding essential research and advocating for patients and their loved ones.
The Prostate Cancer Foundation nz needs your help to raise the funds that support people living with prostate cancer – this september they’re asking Kiwis to Do something blue to Help a Mate Through.
There are lots of other ways you can support blue september this year: make a donation, buy sponsored products or buy blue september merchandise.
The sky is the limit when it comes to Doing something blue this blue September – find out more at www.blueseptember.org.nz
share your blue Do on social media using the hashtag #Dosomethingblue and don’t forget to tag us in so we can give you a shout out.