Barber shop visits to get men talking about health

Date of release: 19 March 2025

Health officials have been visiting barber shops as part of a drive to get men talking about their health.

Janet Cox (left) and Janet with Mark Williams

Janet Cox, Cancer Care Coordinator at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, has been travelling round Wolverhampton to talk about the signs and symptoms of prostate cancer.

The chances of developing prostate cancer increase as you get older. Most cases develop in men aged 50 or older. For reasons not yet understood, prostate cancer is more common in Black men.

One of the barber shops Janet visited was Markies Barbers on Victoria Street, Wolverhampton.

Mark Williams, 52, who owns Markies Barbers, said: “Janet has been into my barber shop a few times now, having honest and open conversations with my clients all around the importance of being tested for prostate cancer.

“The fact that one in four Black men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime is huge and as the majority of my clients are Black men, having Janet here has made and will continue to make such a difference.”

Janet said: “Prostate cancer doesn’t necessarily present with clear symptoms, which is why it’s so important for men to talk openly and also speak to their GP to request a test.

“Barber shops often tend to be the ear of the community, which is why I thought it would be a great place to start and spread the word to get people talking.”

Janet has also been able to promote the Brothers Reaching Out To/For Support (BROS) in Wolverhampton, a prostate cancer support group for Black men hosted by Urology Advanced Nurse Practitioner Kelly Kusinski (kelly.kusinski@nhs.net) at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust.

Anyone wanting to find out about prostate cancer should search online for Prostate Cancer UK The risk checker is on the home page.