In The Press
For details of press coverage for Prostate Cancer Awareness Week 2008, please visit our Real Men Do website.
May 23rd
Landmark role established in Charity and Health Sector working
The Prostate Cancer Charity has created the first ever prostate cancer Health Services Liaison Manager in recognition of the need to work collaboratively with the health service to improve health care for men with prostate cancer. Click here to view the full article.
May 18th
Prostate cancer drug may offer new hope to young women
Research published in the Lancet today led by Professor Jack Cuzick, from the Cancer Research UK Centre, has revealed that a hormone treatment designed to treat prostate cancer in men can also help tackle breast cancer in pre-menopausal women.
To read more about this story please visit:
The Times – Article here
Daily Telegraph - Article here
BBC News Online - Article here
May 15th
Foxy’s Father’s Day support
Our new Charity Ambassador, Neil ‘Doctor’ Fox, is lending his support to our Father’s Day Campaign to help raise awareness of prostate cancer. This year we have joined forces with Tesco, and 10 pence from the sale of their own-brand Father’s Day cards in the stores across the country will be donated to the Charity. The cards will be on sale from 31st May to 17th June 2007.
Neil says: “Prostate cancer kills one man every hour in the UK – one of them was sadly my father Roy.
“My father died of prostate cancer when he was 76, but if he had known more about the disease, he might be alive today. So, I know from personal experience the devastating affect that prostate cancer can have on the lives of men and their families.
“So, come on mums, boys and girls - why not pop a card in the weekly shopping trolley? Not only will you make the ‘old man’ happy, but you could also make a difference and help raise invaluable funds to support The Prostate Cancer Charity’s work.
“Every year nearly 32,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the United Kingdom and 10,000 men die from it. Sadly, there is no reliable screening programme and for too many men, there is still no cure for this disease.
“I can assure you every penny makes a difference and helps The Prostate Charity’s support and information services and funds vital research projects. This is why I support The Prostate Cancer Charity’s Father’s Day campaign.”
Thank you for your help and support,
March 16th
Borders Today: Running Robert's great plan to repay the cost of his cancer treatment
"Two years ago, aged 58, Robert Wood was diagnosed with prostate cancer, the number one cancer killer in men in the UK. Now, after life-saving brachytherapy, which costs the NHS Ł15,000 per person, Wood is recuperating and concentrating on building his health back up. As part of that effort, he is aiming to raise as much money as possible for both The Prostate Cancer Charity and The Edinburgh Male Cancer Centre, where he was treated, and which is housed at the Western General Hospital."
March 15th
Eastern Daily Press: Speaking out about a silent killer
Anne Harber, whose husband Chris died of prostate cancer aged only 46, gives an interview for Awareness Week.
March 7th
Our partnership with M&S has received a lot of press attention:
M&S Online: Marks & Spencer Joins Forces with The Prostate Cancer Charity
ITV Dancing on Ice: Foxy and Jason join forces for charity
News and Star: M&S bid to raise cancer awareness
Astra Zeneca : Men urged to support Prostate Cancer Awareness Week
Politics.co.uk: Prostate Cancer Charity: Marks and Spencer joins forces with charity
March 2nd
Selkirk Today: Robert aiming to give cancer a run for money
Coverage of Robert Woods participation in the Great Edinburgh Run in May to raise money for us.
February 27th
The Daily Mail: I'm a man and I've had a mastectomy
In a full page interview with media talker and 2005/6 Annual Review case study John Essex, the paper describes John’s experiences followed by an interview with his breast and endocrine surgeon.
February 26th
BBC News Online: Celebrity Health - Andy Ripley
In the latest article in a series on celebrities and their health the BBC News website talks to one of our busiest supporters, former England International rugby player Andy Ripley, about his battle with prostate cancer.
Sports Journalists' Association News: Give our chosen charity a wee bit of help
Media talker and Charity campaigner, Bill Elliot has called on readers for support in the Sports Journal Blog.
February 7th
Chris Hiley, our Head of Policy commented on the widely reported news story about European cancer rates: BBC News Online: Cancer 'to become bigger burden'
"In the UK over the last few years we have seen a constant increase in prostate cancer diagnoses as more men take part in health checks, but some of the increase is also due to the background increase of the ageing population - the risk of prostate cancer increases as men age. Death dates have remained fairly constant (around 10,000 a year) which may be due to in part to improved treatment - it still isn't clear yet if screening saves lives and has kept death rates constant in spite the face of increasing numbers of men diagnosed.
"The main issue we must resolve in order to save lives and prevent men from going through unnecessary treatment for the forms of prostate cancer which are not life threatening is to find a test that will diagnose the nasty forms of prostate cancer earlier and help doctors distinguish better between the aggressive (which will kill if not treated) and non aggressive (which needs to be watched) forms of prostate cancer. Until we have that test, we would encourage men over the age of 50 to be aware of the disease and find out more about it if they have concerns.
"If anyone wants to help us take on the disease, a good place to start is by supporting year’s Prostate Cancer Awareness Week, which runs from 19-25 March 2007. During the week, thousands of individuals and groups across the UK will join forces to help raise awareness of prostate cancer and raise vital funds to improve research, information and support services for men and their families who are affected by this disease."
February 4th
24 Dash: Call for better prostate cancer guidelines
Better guidelines are needed to improve the treatment of men with locally advanced prostate cancer, say researchers. A survey of specialists found that strategies for managing this vulnerable group of patients varied widely across the UK.
Our Head of Policy and Research, Chris Hiley, made the following comment when the news was announced: "This survey quantifies important areas of uncertainty in treatment that have worried doctors and their patients for some time. The lack of consensus reported in this survey is what we'd expect given the lack of good enough evidence that clinicians can draw on, when deciding when and how best to intervene when prostate cancer reaches this stage. Although some progress is being made, what men with prostate cancer really need is more research into the treatment of locally advanced prostate cancer to enable doctors to know when, and how best to intervene in order to maximise the treatments' effectiveness and reduce its side effects. In the meantime, this survey reminds us of the importance of multi-disciplinary team working and good communication and guidance in the management of locally advanced prostate cancer."
February 3rd
The Telegraph: The talented Mr Ripley not fazed by death
Andy Ripley, who is writing a diary of his experiences with prostate cancer, was interviewed by The Telegraph.
February 1st
The Health Commission of Wales has announced that they are going to begin offering Brachytherapy to suitable candidates. This is very welcome news and comes after a long campaign.
BBC News Online: Patients wait for cancer therapy
Western Mail: Better prostate cancer treatment to be provided in Wales
Our Chief Executive, John Neate, released the following statement when the news was announced: "The decision by the NHS in Wales to develop a brachytherapy unit at Velindre Hospital in Cardiff is a vitally important step in ensuring that men have access to a tried and tested treatment which is already widely available in England and Scotland. The lack of brachytherapy services in Wales has been the centre of intensive campaigning by determined local people and national charities working together to bring about this essential and very welcome change in policy."
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