Men’s Health in the Cayman Islands: How a National Initiative Could Avert a Growing Crisis.

-Dr. LV Campbell

It is well established that men are less likely to engage in preventive healthcare. In fact, one of the reasons I decided to become a specialist in women’s health was precisely because of this observation. I can recall as a young physician seeing patients and recognizing that my female patients were far more likely to come in for screening checks, were more likely to comply with recommendations for their care and in general had better health seeking behaviour than my male patients. I related more easily with them. They seemed far more motivated to secure their wellbeing.

Men’s health in the Cayman Islands is facing a critical turning point. Despite advances in healthcare, the latest data from the most recent National Health Survey (STEPS 2023) revealed that the overall health of the population has not improved in over a decade.

Key Health Statistics in the Cayman Islands indicate fairly alarming numbers:

• 70% of adults are overweight or obese

• 1 in 3 people have high blood pressure

• 1 in 3 have elevated cholesterol

• Only 2.8% of the population has no risk factors for chronic disease

This means the vast majority of Cayman’s population is at increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Men are disproportionately represented in the health statistics with an associated risk of death.

Why Men’s Health Outcomes Are Worse?

The situation in the Cayman Islands is similar to trends seen globally, however the situation is more stark than seen in most other nations. Men are less likely to engage in preventive healthcare.

They are more likely to:

• Delay doctor visits

• Ignore early symptoms

• Engage in high-risk behaviours

The STEPS survey showed that:

• 13% of the population are current smokers, with higher rates among men

• Vaping is increasing, particularly among young men aged 18–44

These behaviours significantly increase the risk of:

• Heart disease

• Lung disease

• Cancer

• Premature death

Why Would a Women’s Health Doctor Envision a Men’s Health Initiative?

As a man I too have been guilty of some of the same poor health seeking habits that I observed in my patients. In the quest to achieve my life goals I neglected my health.

Over the years I got to a point where I had achieved most of what I had hoped to achieve in life. I was winning! Successful physician, specialist OBGYN, lecturer, leader, man of faith and family among other things that I thought were valuable feathers in my cap. I was ‘Winning at life’ but the truth is I was losing my life in the process.

Years of poor sleep, poor eating habits and lack of exercise had left me overweight and unhealthy. I suffered from chronic pain and metabolic dysfunction. Facing a future of lifelong medications chronic disease and potentially a shortened life span I recognized that something had to be done.

This recognition led my on a journey of self-discovery, research and lifestyle change which not only transformed my health but left me with a profound empathy for my fellow brothers. An understanding that so many men, like myself, in the process of living the life that society has convinced them to live, manifesting the image that media motivates them to be, are trying to win at a life but in the process are losing the very life that they were given by God.

Pastor Bobb

Every man needs mentors. One of my mentors is Rev Torrance Bobb, Pastor of the First Assembly of God Church in George Town Grand Cayman. A man of wisdom, patience and moral excellence. In late December 2025 Pastor Bobb called me to his office to have a short discussion. At the end of the discussion he mentioned that he had something he wanted to ask me to assist him with. Naturally my answer was just name it! He then proceeded to mention to me in his own composed and calculated way that he wanted me to assist him with some sort of a program to develop men’s health in the Cayman Islands. He pointed to the fact that there are so many men in the Islands suffering silently, not only Caymanian men but men from all parts of the world, many without their families and the support of friends. How could we do something to help them?

Immediately I said yes! What he did not know was that this was something I had wanted to do for a long time. A passion burning within me for years, waiting for the opportunity to break forth. The opportunity to leverage my experience (personally and professionally), my relationships, my resources, whatever I could, to help other men who may have suffered, are suffering and will suffer the fate that I suffered. His invitation was simply the alignment of the stars for the moment of manifestation that I had longed hoped for. I already had the vision, even the name- ManKind. There was no convincing necessary! I was all in from that moment.

This conversation was the birth of the ManKind movement.

Dr. Colin Charles

One of the first persons I spoke to about this initiative was my good friend and colleague Dr Colin Charles. I had known Dr Charles for almost decade from my time as an associate lecturer at the University of the West Indies. He had just recently returned to the island after completing his training as a specialist Obstetrician/Gynaecologist and had taken up a post as Consultant in the Women’s Health Department at the Anthony S Eden Hospital (Formerly known as George Town Hospital) in Grand Cayman .

Almost immediately as I began sharing the vision of the ManKind initiative he responded, before I could complete my pitch,- I am in!

Colin had gone through his own process of transformation. He sounded like a different man from the one I met years ago in Jamaica. He was calm, composed and focused. He was in a better place and motivated to make a difference. A difference, not just for himself but also for his people, the people of the Cayman islands.

He pointed to a scripture that he had been meditating on from the book of Job ‘Now gird up your loins like a man, And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!’ Job 38:3 AMP. It had become his theme verse. It was imperative as men that we came to a place of reckoning. No excuses, no blaming others for our short-comings, no more complaining. We had responsibility to ‘gird up our loins as men’ and begin the transformation of ourselves from within.

Somehow it seemed that there was not much need for convincing men to get onboard. After Colin, more and more men began to come on board. Men who recognized that if we were ever going to change our lives, our families, our communities, our world for the better it would needs start with us. With us making a decision to become the best version of ourselves. Making the decision to become a part of the solution and not the problem.

This is the spirit of ManKind, this is the purpose of CIMHALS.

ManKind

The ManKind movement is an initiative built around men leveraging their experience and resources to help other men live happier healthier lives. The ManKind team brings together men from varying vocations; physicians, professionals, pastors, business men, media personalities as well as community leaders. Programs range from community based partnerships to prison programs to corporate and national events.

CIMHALS

The Flagship event for the ManKind initiative is the Cayman Islands Men’s Health and Lifestyle Summit.

The Cayman Islands Men’s Health & Lifestyle Summit (CIMHALS) is a direct response to this national need.

It is designed to:

1. Increase awareness of men’s health issues

2. Promote preventive health behaviours

3. Engage men through community and faith-based partnerships

4. Provide practical, culturally relevant health education

The initiative addresses key challenges including:

1. Chronic disease prevention

2. Mental health awareness

3. Low engagement with preventive care

Hope is only lost when we give up hope. Let us work together as men to build each other and in so doing build the world we want to see.