June is an important month for men as it draws attention to male cancers in the form of a whole month dedicated to its awareness, providing much needed information and education for the masses. This year counts as the eleventh anniversary of the Everyman Male Cancer Awareness month and with it comes additional information on the affects and treatments available for the more common male cancers such as prostate and testicular. With the additional information comes the harsh reality of numbers, those affected and their family members and some of the unsavoury truths associated with the illness. Such unsettling numbers include the amount of men affected by the various cancers which is harshly contrasted by the numbers the general public believe to be affected. A recent survey revealed the level of ignorance British men have concerning the illness, of those interviewed nearly all (70%) believed that the number of men diagnosed with cancer each year stood at approximately 17,000, the truth was shocking to most when they found out the number was more like 35,000.

This adds credence to the false belief that cancer and other such chronic illnesses are something that happen to other people and therefore it’s not something that needs to be prepared for. Appreciating  just how wrong they were in relation to the numbers actually affected proved to be a rude awakening for many, forcing them to ponder on their own fallibility and their loved ones, how they would be affected if they were to contract such an illness.

Raising awareness of such life altering illnesses is vital for the male population as it highlights not only how short life can be if the illness is terminal, but also how prone we are to change and how such changes can affect your future. Falling victim to such an illness may not end your life but its grip on your life can be far reaching, stopping you from working, socialising and enjoying a lot of the things you once took for granted. Money is one such element, in the wake of discovering one has such an illness work will be the last thing on your mind, getting better however is at the forefront.

That said, when you realise that the nature of your illness will require long periods off work, to the point where you may be forced to leave your position and rely on the government for assistance. In such an instance, the reality of how the financial assistance offered by the government falls short of providing you and your loved ones with the essentials let alone any of the luxuries makes life that little bit harder. Rather than having to stress and concern yourself with money matters during such a trying time you should be concentrating in your health and the improvement of it, to do this one really needs to ponder on the benefits of life insurance.

A policy would protect both you and your family in the event of the discovery of a cancer or any other serious illness by providing either a lump sum on diagnosis or a regular monthly income, some policies offer the benefit of both. There are a number of different types of policies that offer protection following such a life altering occurrence, one of which is critical illness cover. Such a policy usually offers a lump sum which is relative to the monthly premiums you have been paying into the policy, the more you pay in, the more you’ll get out.

The money from such a payout can heavily contribute to mortgage payments or even be used to pay for private medical costs and assistance if you find you need that level of care. What the cover offers you is peace of mind, in the event of such a diagnosis you can comfortably concentrate on you and your health as opposed to the relatively minor matter of money which becomes major if it gets in the way of you and your loved ones continuing to live the life you have become accustomed to.