Anna Benson is a celebrity cookbook writer and a campaigner against cancer. She campaigns for the fight against breast cancer but also to fight against prostate cancer – the common cancer among men. She campaigns to fight against prostate cancer by sporting moustache and also writing cookbooks.
“It is the most common cancer in Sweden actually. It is like ten thousand men actually gets that. A lot of people think it is breast cancer of course breast cancer is super important too but it is about eight thousand women gets breast cancer per year but it is ten thousand (men) gets prostate cancer. I think the fight is really important to put focus on,” says Anna Benson in an interview with www.gothenburg-400.com
To draw the attention of men to go for regular medical-checks for prostate cancer, she released the BLUE COOK BOOK (Blå Kokboken) in two parts. One of the books topped the bestselling list among the cookbooks in 2017. Earlier, she campaigned for the fight against breast cancer among women through her PINK COOK BOOK. She moved from campaigning from breast cancer to prostate cancer because she wanted to do something for men, and she has raised three million Swedish kroners.
WOMAN CAMPAIGNING TO MAKE MEN TO BE AWARE:
How come a woman alerting men to be aware of prostate cancer? “Men needs to be better at talking about health especially go and test yourself in time,” says Anna. “It is quite fun to play with the gender. I am a woman but I really want to campaign to fight against prostate cancer.”
“Books are to raise fund for prostate cancer fund in Sweden but it is also really important to put focus on men talking about their health because men in general is not that good at that and I think that is important (to put focus on health for men). Women is … we are more used to talking about the health but men need to be much better on doing that. So that is one of the purposes of the book, too.”
ANNA’S SUGGESTION TO MEN: “It is really something to talk about – fighting against prostate cancer. Everyman listens to this – it is so important to go and test yourself in time. So, please do that. Because if you do that in time we can cure prostate cancer so much better.”
The Prostate Cancer Association (Prostatacancerförbundet) is the Swedish national organization with 27 regional and local patient associations. It promotes awareness on prostate cancer and supports research and development through its own fund – Prostate Cancer Fund (Prostatacancerfonden).
WHAT IS PROSTATE: Prostate is a small gland, usually the size of a walnut, located between the bladder and the penis and in front of rectum. The urine-carrying urethra runs through the centre of the prostate that is from the bladder to the penis enabling the flow of urine out of the body. The gland secretes fluid (seminal fluid) to nourish and protect the sperm in addition to enabling the sperm’s movement.
PROSTATE CANCER & ITS SIGNS: Prostate cancer is the cancer that occurs in the prostate, and it is reported the cancer grows slowly and often goes undetected as most men ignore. The signs of prostate cancer are burning sensation or pain during urination, difficulty during urination or at the time of starting or stopping, urges to urinate while in the bed and at night, loss of bladder control, slow flow or decreased velocity of urination, and also blood in urine.
