Males being urged to have medical checkups

A very familiar face at the various taxi stands around Kingstown over the decades is no more.{{more}}

On Friday, November 5, Jeffery Alexander Providence, more affectionately known as ‘Jeff’, passed away at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital after a brief battle with Prostate Cancer.

Jeff, who lived in Redemption Sharpes, had been a taxi driver for more than 30 years, and interacted with a lot of people in his lifetime.

It is hoped that he can touch the lives of others through his death as well.

Ann Marie Providence, Jeff’s wife of 12 years, has taken time out from her mourning to call on men of all ages to save their family members some hurt by having medical checks in order to detect cancers and other ailments sooner rather than later.

“Go and get a check-up before it’s too late, because you will be leaving your family in a lot of pain and sorrow. Get a check up early.”

The grieving widow said that she believes that had her husband visited the doctors earlier, he would have been around to spend more time with his family and friends.

“He used to cry for belly and back pain; I used to tell him come go to the doctor, but he didn’t want to go to the doctor…. So one day, when he go to the doctor, he discovered it was too late… it was about in the last stage; stage four.”

“It had already spread all through his body.”

Ann Marie indicated that her husband, who was an avid football fan and player in his time, was diagnosed with the disease in July 2009.

She said that within exactly one year after his diagnosis, his health took a downhill turn, and up until his death two weeks ago, he was in constant pain.

Prostate Cancer is the second most common cancer in the men, and the second leading cause of cancer death in men.

One in six men will be diagnosed with Prostate Cancer during his lifetime.

The prostate is an exocrine (substance secreting) gland of the male reproductive system. Its main function is to store and secrete a clear fluid that constitutes up to one third of the volume of semen.

Some common signs and symptoms of Prostate problems include difficulty in postponing urination, pain in the lower back in the area between the testicles and anus, fevers and chills, some pain during and after ejaculation and pain in the tip of the penis, among others.

It is recommended that men aged forty years and over check their prostates for irregularities, although it is also suggested that men under that age can have a test as well.

A Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test or Digital Rectal Examinations are means of testing for Prostate Cancer.

Despite her loss, Ann Marie is at ease because prior to his death, her husband rededicated his life to Jesus Christ.

She described Jeff as a very soft spoken man, who always had a smile on his face and did the most for his friends and family, including his children: Alicia, a forensic psychology student at the St. Georges University in Grenada; Jason, a student of the Dr. J P Eustace Memorial Secondary School, and Jennifer, a fourth former at the St. Joseph’s Convent in Kingstown.

Ann Marie extends special thanks to all who in some way showed support to her family, especially his sisters and brothers.

“For his mom (Amy Providence), I want her keep the faith and to be assured that he is in a place of rest. The family is not done.”