Before his massive heart attack, Morley Lercher hadn’t given much thought to his health. The now 67-year-old played sports throughout his youth and rarely visited the doctor.

“Luckily, I’m still alive because the health system at Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) is some of the finest in the world,” says Morley, who received treatment at VGH after his heart attack. “But, had I taken more proactive, preventative steps when I was young, I might have avoided this (heart attack) altogether.”

The Mohammad H. Mohseni Chair in Men’s Health – the first appointment of its kind in Western Canada – is designed to help men like Morley live longer, healthier lives by focusing on their unique health-related needs, from heart to mental and sexual health.

Held by Dr. Larry Goldenberg, the Chair is boosting initiatives in health awareness, outreach and education for men; researching transitions in male life; expanding multidisciplinary health care for men and boys; and, studying the economic impact of preventing poor health among men.

“The annual economic burden in Canada attributable to men’s poor lifestyles is $37 billion,” says Dr. Goldenberg, who is also the director of development and supportive care at the Vancouver Prostate Centre at VGH. “We can prevent up to 70 per cent of men’s chronic health problems without adding another dollar, doctor or hospital to the health care system through health initiatives directed at men.”

After his heart attack, Morley began to pay attention to his diet, his activity levels and getting regular checkups at the doctor. He also became a strong supporter of Dr. Goldenberg’s work and the preventative medicine initiatives for men at VGH.

“I feel as good as I can now with my heart condition,” says Morley. “I feel better because I’ve made exercise and awareness about my health a routine habit in my life.”

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Before his massive heart attack, Morley Lercher hadn’t given much thought to his health. The now 67-year-old played sports throughout his youth and rarely visited the doctor.

“Luckily, I’m still alive because the health system at Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) is some of the finest in the world,” says Morley, who received treatment at VGH after his heart attack. “But, had I taken more proactive, preventative steps when I was young, I might have avoided this (heart attack) altogether.”

The Mohammad H. Mohseni Chair in Men’s Health – the first appointment of its kind in Western Canada – is designed to help men live longer, healthier lives by focusing on their unique health-related needs, from heart to mental and sexual health.

Held by Dr. Larry Goldenberg, the Chair is boosting initiatives in health awareness, outreach and education for men; researching transitions in male life; expanding multidisciplinary health care for men and boys; and, studying the economic impact of preventing poor health among men.

“The annual economic burden in Canada attributable to men’s poor lifestyles is $37 billion,” says Dr. Goldenberg, who is also the director of development and supportive care at the Vancouver Prostate Centre at VGH. “We can prevent up to 70 per cent of men’s chronic health problems without adding another dollar, doctor or hospital to the health care system through health initiatives directed at men.”

After his heart attack, Morley began to pay attention to his diet, his activity levels and getting regular checkups at the doctor. He also became a strong supporter of Dr. Goldenberg’s work and the preventative medicine initiatives for men at VGH.

“I feel as good as I can now with my heart condition,” says Morley. “I feel better because I’ve made exercise and awareness about my health a routine habit in my life.”

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