Movember: Two Appointments Men Should Stop Putting Off

By George Kolbe, Head of Marketing and Enablement at Momentum Life Insurance

I’m in my 50s. My reading glasses are always in the other room, my knees forecast the weather and conversations with my doctor now begin with “At your age…”. It’s also the age when Movember feels more personal than an excuse to grow questionable facial hair.

Men like me will happily spend a weekend researching the perfect braai tongs. Ask us to book a medical check-up and suddenly we’re too busy until 2031.

What R90 Million In Cancer Claims Tells Us

In 2025, Momentum Life Insurance paid R90 million in prostate and testicular cancer claims across all benefit types. The breakdown caught my attention: R74 million in critical illness claims and R15 million in death claims.

Most of the money went towards benefits designed to support men living with cancer. A diagnosis brings financial pressures during treatment and recovery, including medical expenses and time away from work.

Cancer was the leading cause of critical illness claims among our male clients in 2025, accounting for 36% of those claims. Prostate cancer alone made up 11.4% of all male critical illness claims.

Among men aged 60 and over, prostate and testicular cancers accounted for 46% of cancer claims. Sixty is getting closer for me. Those figures give me another reason to stop putting off the conversation.

Talk To Your Doctor About Prostate Cancer Screening

Early prostate cancer often has no symptoms. Speak to your doctor about your personal risk and whether a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test is appropriate for you. The test helps identify changes needing further investigation, but does not diagnose cancer on its own.

South African guidelines generally recommend considering screening from age 50, or from age 45 for Black African men and men with a family history of prostate or breast cancer in a first-degree relative, such as a parent or sibling.

Know What Is Normal For You

Testicular cancer is more common in younger men. CANSA recommends monthly testicular self-examinations from ages 15 to 49. Get to know what is normal for you and see a doctor promptly if you notice a lump, swelling or another change.

The everyday habits matter too. Stay active, eat well, keep an eye on your weight and go easy on the alcohol. I’m keeping the braai. I’ll add a salad.

Make Two Appointments This Movember

Here’s my challenge to every man reading this, and one I’m taking on myself. Book an appointment with your doctor to talk about your risks and appropriate screening. Then speak to your financial adviser about how your plan would support you and your family if serious illness kept you away from work.

The moustache can go in December. The good habits should stay.

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