MP supports launch of Testing Choice campaign
As Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer, John Baron MP recently showed his support for Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. The annual awareness campaign is organised by the Prostate Cancer Charity, who for the past month have been mobilising people across the county, urging them to declare ‘I’m aware’. The month concluded with the Charity launching a new campaign at the Houses of Parliament. The campaign, Testing Choices, aims to ensure that all men at higher risk of prostate cancer, including men over 50, those with a family history of the disease and African Caribbean men, understand their right to balanced information and the support they need about whether or not to have a PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) blood test*.
John said:
“Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. Every year 10,000 men die from prostate cancer and 37,000 men are diagnosed with the disease.
“We still have a long way to go in terms of understanding the causes and identifying the most effective ways of diagnosing and treating prostate cancer – as well as improving the public’s knowledge of some of the issues faced by people affected by the disease. That’s why I’m backing the Testing Choices campaign.”
Dr Sarah Cant, Head of Policy & Campaigns for The Prostate Cancer Charity said:
“It’s fantastic that John Baron MP is once again showing his support for men and their families affected by prostate cancer.”
“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. We want to galvanise people in calling for the improvements in men’s experience of prostate cancer care that we urgently need to see.”
*The PSA blood test is commonly used to detect a problem with the prostate, which may be cancer.
For further information contact: Vivienne Francis, Nikki Nagler or Lucy Handford on 0208 222 7136/7670/7166. Out of hours contact: 0798 432 5001. Email: Vivienne.Francis@prostate-cancer.org.uk or Nicola.Nagler@prostate-cancer.org.uk or Lucy.Handford@prostate-cancer.org.uk
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in men in the UK. Every year in the UK 37,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer. One man dies every hour of prostate cancer in the UK.
African Caribbean men are three times more likely to develop prostate cancer than white men of the same age.
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.
If you have any queries about prostate cancer, call The Prostate Cancer Charity’s confidential Helpline 0800 074 8383 which is staffed by specialist nurses and open from 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday and Wednesdays from 7 – 9pm or visit www.prostate-cancer.org.uk
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