Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 22, Number 11, 1 November 2005 — Kāne & cancer [ARTICLE]

Kāne & cancer

New brochure offers cancer facts for Hawaiian men

By Charles Rnse and Rny Benham Editor's Note: Hawaiian eommunity leaders Charles Rose and Roy Eenham are co-chairs ofNo Kō Kāne Ola Pono, a committee focusing on Hawaiian men's cancer issues. '() ka hā o ke koa - ke ea o ka lāhui "The breath of a warrior - the life of a nation" History has shown that Native Hawaiian men were strong and healthy. They were lean, tall and very muscular. However, since exposure to western influences, the heahh of Hawaiian kāne has suffered. Of critical eoneem is Hawaiian men's limited participation in routine health services, whieh prevents them from getting healthcare for illnesses in the early, more treatable stages. A particularly worrisome indication of this is the cancer death rate among Hawaiian kāne. Hawaiian men have the thirdhighest rate of cancer diagnoses among all males within Hawai'i's five major ethnic groups - so the kāne are actually helow the statewide average. In spite of the lower diagnoses rates, however, Hawaiian kāne die more often from cancer than other males within Hawai'i's five major ethnie groups. The lower-than-average eancer risk rate coupled with the highest cancer death rates points to a lower participation in early detection and treatment programs that potentially could save the Hawaiian kāne's heahh. In response to these figures, in 2002 the American Cancer Society Hawai'i's Native Hawaiian Cancer Committee (NHCC) initiated a study to look into the healthcare-seeking behaviors of Native Hawaiian men. The aim of the study was to find ways to develop effective cancer-related education pro-

grams for Hawaiian kāne. As a result of the study's findings, the NHCC formed No Kō Kāne Ola Pono, the American Cancer Society's kāne initiative, and supported the development of an educational brochure, "Nā Koa Cancer Facts." The purpose of the brochure is to provide cancer facts to Hawaiian kāne and to encourage taking control of their heahh for themselves and their families. The "Nā Koa Cancer Facts" brochure gives descriptions and warning signs of the three leading cancers among Hawaiian kāne - lung and mouth cancer, eolon cancer See KĀNE on pagE 22

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Kāne

CūntinuEd fram page 09 and prostate cancer - and gives information on how to reduce cancer risk. The goal of the brochure is to encourage Hawaiian kāne to seek preventive healthcare. Knowledge is power, and in this case, knowledge ean save Hawaiian lives. E3 For more information on eancer, eall the American Cancer Society hotline at 1-800-227-2345, or visit online at www. cancer.org. To get a copy of the "Nā Koa Cancer Facts " brochure,

eall the American Cancer Society at 595-7500, or contact any of the Native Flawaiian Heahh Care Systems offtces: Ho'ōla Lāhui Hawai'i Kaua'i 808-246-3511 Ke Ola Mamo O'ahu 848-8000 Nā Pu'uwai Moloka'i & Lāna'i 808-553-3653 (Moloka'i) 808-565-7204 (Lāna'i) Hui No Ke Ola Pono Wailuku, Maui 808-244-4647 Hui Mālama Ola Nā 'Ōiwi Hilo, Hawai'i 808-969-9220