CHRIS GALLAHER seems not to be too different to the large majority of men.

Confronted with the free NHS kit to help test for the likelihood of bowel cancer, he was close to throwing it away.

He didn’t feel unwell, the whole process of sending a ‘sample’ through the post was not an attractive one, and we men find it difficult to be motivated about medical matters until the evidence is staring us in the face.

He’s even a retired director from health firm Bupa yet he felt using the kit – sent out to thousands of men between 60 and 75 – was a bit of a waste of time.

Thankfully his wife Sandy thought differently and encouraged him to carry out the formalities.

It led to the discovery, in time, of a tumour that has now been removed.

She is a probable lifesaver.

There is a remarkably different attitude between the sexes on issues like this.

It is partly down to the fact women face proactive health checks far earlier in life, whereas men sort of cruise through and then start discovering all sorts of aches, twinges and medical problems.

Less than two-thirds of men return the kits and that is a worrying – yet unfortunately unsurprising – statistic.

Now, not every man in this age group is lucky enough to have a Sandy Gallaher looking out for them, but they should have one of these kits.

Use it.

A few minutes’ embarrassment is worth the years you may get to live.