Declare ‘I’m aware’ for prostate cancer

The third annual Prostate Cancer Awareness Month is being held this March (2011), and thousands of people will join together and declare ‘I’m aware’ to support men and their families affected by the disease.

Famous faces such as television presenter Julia Bradbury, actor Max Beesley and Texas singer Sharleen Spiteri, all of whom have seen family members affected by prostate cancer. They’re urging people to get involved and to show their support for the awareness month.

The store Marks & Spencer is also joining the charge, which has so far raised £700,000 for the charity in five years. The High Street retailer will be raising funds through a range of underpants, specially designed for the occasion. The pants have been designed by mystery celebrities, and are to be sold in stores nationwide.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. Despite recent improvements in prostate cancer services, many men are still subject to a legacy of neglect, ranging from difficulties in diagnosis through to limited access to information and support to help them cope with the impact of treatment for the disease. Throughout March, The Prostate Cancer Charity is calling on people to join the charge and declare ‘I’m aware’.

Thousands of individuals and groups across the UK will join forces to show that they are aware of prostate cancer. There are numerous ways to get involved, from staging an information day, taking part in a Day of Action to holding a fundraising event.

Numerous events and activities from information days to the Real Man Cup, a five-a-side football tournament, a mass skydive day and blue fun runs will be taking place across the country with the universal aim of raising awareness of the most common cancer in men in the UK.

The Prostate Cancer Charity's Chief Executive, John Neate, said: "This March we are hoping to make sure that everyone knows about prostate cancer and we are calling on people up and down the country to join us in declaring 'I'm aware'. There are 250,000 men living with the disease in the UK, yet many of them are still facing difficulties in accessing the support and information that they need to cope with the disease. We want to galvanise people in calling for the improvements in men’s experience of prostate cancer that we urgently need to see."

The Prostate Cancer Charity is striving for a world where lives are no longer limited by prostate cancer. The Charity is fighting prostate cancer on every front - through research, support, information and campaigning.