MEN'S health will be kicked to the top of the agenda by Ipswich Town star Richard Naylor.

MEN'S health will be kicked to the top of the agenda by Ipswich Town star Richard Naylor.

Naylor, the club's longest serving player, will head up an awareness evening focusing on osteoporosis, heart disease and testicular and prostate cancers.

The event at the Portman Road ground has been organised by the Ipswich and District National Osteoporosis Society Support Group to encourage men to pay more attention to their health.

Robert Rees, an osteoporosis sufferer who will speak at the event, said: “Men tend to neglect themselves and are notorious for ignoring health problems; we think 'it's never going to happen to me.'

“Unfortunately in my case it did. At the age of 43, three of my vertebrae shattered and it changed my life completely.”

Dr Gavin Clunie, a rheumatology consultant at Ipswich Hospital, added: “One in five men are at risk of breaking a bone because of osteoporosis but most men know nothing about osteoporosis and think of it as something that affects only older women.

“This health awareness evening will reach out to remind men that they must look after themselves.”

During the evening Matt Byard, ITFC's head physiotherapist, will be taking part in a Question and Answer session alongside Naylor when they will take questions from the floor and specialist nurse Sonya Stephenson will also take the floor to talk about the importance of healthy bones.

The evening, which starts at 6pm on Thursday, September 25, costs £5, including supper.

For more information or to book a space call Diana Thomas on 01394 277337 or e-mail diana@midith.co.uk.

Are you a man who ignored your health problems? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.