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A Bendigo church will use Pokemon Go to engage young men in a conversation about their wellbeing.
Attendees at a Men’s Health Week brunch inside St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral on Saturday will not only enjoy live music and free food, they will also have the chance to snare some of the prized digital creatures.
Very Reverend John Roundhill, who is a fan of the online game, hoped placing two Pokemon “lures” on the church at the outset of the event would draw young people into the discussion.
It was important men began taking an interest in their health as early as possible, Mr Roundhill said.
“We grow up thinking we’re bulletproof until we’re about 35 or 40,” he said.
“But you get into your 50s and things can head south if you don’t take care.”
Preventable health conditions claim the lives of four Australian men every hour.
The Victorian government’s Better Health website also explains men visit the doctor less often and only present when their illness is in its later stages.
St Paul’s parishioners have already used the week of awareness to remind their reverend he needed to have regular checkups, something he admitted was easily put aside during busy times.
“Everyone has a stake in men’s health,” he said.
Blue lights inside the church’s tower will also shine for the duration of the men’s health campaign, while a statue of explorer James Cook inside the St Paul’s yard has been fitted with a blue vest in support of the cause.
Mr Roundhill said because the celebrated captain was a “leader of men”, their health would have been a topic about which he cared deeply.
“I’ll get him to promote any cause he would’ve supported.”
The next costume planned for the Cook statue is a running outfit, urging on athletes in the Bendigo Bank Fun Run.
The men’s health brunch begins at 11am on Saturday.
Bendigo Community Health Services men’s health nurse Peter Strange will also attend the event.
Mr Strange’s organisation is behind an 11-day men’s health marathon raising awareness about conditions affecting the wellbeing of the city’s male population. The marathon ends in a September 4 Run for Dad at Bendigo Racecourse.