Like many proud and stubborn men, I have a natural aversion to doctors. I know it’s not logical, but I’m always afraid of what they might find. As a result, I often convince myself that what I don’t know can’t hurt me – an obvious fallacy that has proved costly to so many men in the past. Logic and reasoning finally triumphed, however, when I thought about what might happen to my family if they lost me to a preventable disease.

I had always dreaded the prostate exam that comes standard for men in their 50s, but it’s really a small price to pay to ensure the wellbeing of such an important gland. The procedure was over in a matter of minutes and my physician gave me a clean bill of prostate health. Now I can enjoy the stress-free months from now until my next scheduled appointment.