'Why not do it together?': Lifelong friends take part in 'brosectomy' in Vancouver
While many people choose to keep their medical appointments private, four longtime friends decided to undergo vasectomies as a group in B.C.'s Lower Mainland.
"We all had to do it so we said, why not do it together?" said Craig Tatham, a dad from Maple Ridge.
Craig and his three friends, all fathers in their early 40s, wanted to turn a potentially anxiety-filled day into a bonding experience and a lasting memory. The group made custom “brosectomy” tank tops to wear – and invited news cameras to their big day.
"I think it's great," said Dr. Jack Chang of Pollock Clinics Vancouver. "Surgery is super stressful, especially surgery down there, and so guys coming together, comforting each other, being able to relate to each other...there's just something nice about sharing that milestone."
Chang said he's noticed an increase in men getting the procedure, which lasts around six minutes.
"Especially with the rising cost of living, inflation, people are having those conversations more and more about how do we plan our families and make responsible decisions," said Chang.
“I think it also represents something more significant, which is kind of this generational shift with men saying look, our partners have been through enough – childbirth, birth control, side effects – we want to do something loving and responsible and kind of take that burden of family planning away from them and do something nice.”
The four friends were in and out of the clinic within an hour.
"It was painless. It was quick and easy," said Tatham.
Another participant, Brian Legge, said it felt like “it didn’t even happen.”
The friends said they plan to celebrate with steaks, scotch, cigars and bags of frozen peas.
Dr. Neil Pollock told CTV News he plans on donating proceeds from the “brosectomy” procedures to the Canadian Men’s Health Foundation.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Signs of Alzheimer’s were everywhere. Then his brain improved
Blood biomarkers of telltale signs of early Alzheimer’s disease in the brain of his patient, 55-year-old entrepreneur Simon Nicholls, had all but disappeared in a mere 14 months.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
Lyon-bound Air Canada Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner from Montreal turns back midflight due to pressurization alert
Passengers heading from Montreal to Lyon, France on Friday were forced to return home and depart the next day after a pressurization indication was detected in flight.
Oilers dominate Canucks, win to force deciding Game 7
The Edmonton Oilers avoided elimination from the NHL playoffs Saturday night, beating the visiting Vancouver Canucks 5-1 in Game 6 of their second-round series.
The eight most expensive homes for sale in Ottawa this spring
Ottawa's ultra luxury housing market is blooming like the tulips this spring, with a significant increase in the number of homes sold worth more than $2 million.
B.C. pipeline company argues its 'haulers' are not trucks, for tax purposes
A contractor working on the Coastal GasLink pipeline has been denied more than $333,000 worth of tax rebates because pieces of machinery it purchased – and claimed were not trucks – were deemed sufficiently truck-like in B.C. Supreme Court.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
Usyk beats Fury by split decision, becomes undisputed heavyweight champion
Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years.
To plant or not to plant? Gardening tips for May long weekend
May long weekend is finally here, and with the extra time off you may be getting the itch to head out to your garden and plant. However, the old debate whether you should plant now, or wait, is still ever-present.