When I qualified as a dentist – forty-five years ago – and joined a dental practice, the then, senior partner advised me to get private medical health insurance. His rationale was that as a self-employed owner of a business, I needed to look after my health from the very start of my career. As matters transpired, I’m so relieved I heeded that wise advice.
I have attended The London Clinic for men’s health screening checks regularly. I’ve always considered it a wise investment and never more so than in the last eleven years.
A men’s health screening check routinely consists of a series of blood tests, well-being advice including diet, exercise, sexual health, and tests for hormonal, heart, kidney, liver, thyroid, and digestive functioning. After one such screening appointment, it was found from my blood test that the level of lymphocytes was rising. This remained the case for a further six years – had I not presented myself for diagnostic check-ups – I would have been ignorant of this fact. I didn’t feel unwell, and I didn’t have any symptoms. Although the saying goes, “Ignorance is bliss” I would argue against that. When you are self-employed, with dependants be that family, staff, or colleagues – you need to know what state of health you are in and manage matters accordingly.
In December 2017, I was admitted by my consultant, Professor John G Gribben, who specialises in haematological cancers including lymphomas, leukaemia, and bone marrow transplantation to the oncology ward at the Clinic with a diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It was quite a Christmas and New Year to remember, and I stayed for a month and began chemotherapy treatment which continued for a further six months. I responded well, the lymphocyte level returned to normal, the only difference being that the three-monthly reviews would continue indefinitely.
