Our Supporters
04 Oct 2019What does the 'Man Of Men' badge mean to you?
The Prostate Cancer UK Man Of Men badge has become a recognisable icon of hope for thousands of people across the UK, but we know it means many different things to many different people. We spoke to supporters, staff, nurses and the England coach about what the badge means to them.
Our ‘Man of men’ badge is made up of 77 familiar icons that you’ll see in everyday life, from toilet doors and building sites to road signs and libraries.
But they mean more than that. They represent everyone involved in the fight against prostate cancer, everyone who wants to stop prostate cancer being a killer and the men we’re doing it for. They’re the fathers, brothers, uncles, husbands, partners, mates and granddads living with prostate cancer and those who have died from the disease.
We caught up with some of our supporters, celeb ambassadors and staff to find out which icon within our man-shaped pin badge means the most to them.
Christine Emerson, a Prostate Cancer UK supporter
Christine lost her husband Terry to prostate cancer in 2015. Terry was diagnosed in 2011, just six months after he and Christine had got married. Terry had tried various treatments and life-extending drugs, but his health deteriorated. Christine says:
“In his last two years he was in a wheelchair, so when I saw the little man in the wheelchair in the Prostate Cancer UK logo it became Terry. It became bigger than his situation as a sick man because it was embedded in the badge. It became what Terry and I stood for. It represented all men, including my husband, who have and will have prostate cancer, died or survived. It really became my identity.”
It became what Terry and I stood for. It represented all men, including my husband, who have and will have prostate cancer, died or survived.
Chris Powell, Coach for the England National Football team
Chris is a long-standing supporter of ours and has been a true advocate in raising awareness within the football community.
“When I look at the football icon, it really hits home with me the power the football family has in spreading awareness about this disease. It represents a man called Keith Smith, a Southend United fan who read about my work with the charity and checked the signs and symptoms. He had prostate cancer but they got it in time. Knowing I played a small part in helping save his life is truly humbling and meeting him was one of the best experiences I’ve had during my time in the game.”
Andrew Seggie, Change Delivery Programme Manager at Prostate Cancer UK
Andrew works hard to ensure all men have access to the best care and support now and in the future. The badge also has a particularly special place in his heart after his dad passed in March 2012 following a diagnosis of advanced prostate cancer.
“I think of the mountain climber icon because it reminds me of the time me and my dad, Norman, climbed Ben Nevis together. In his mid-to-late 50s, he showed great determination to get to the top (and later to the pub at the bottom). My dad was 62 when he was diagnosed and was put on a series of treatments including radiotherapy and hormones, which added to the already crippling effects of having metastatic cancer. In spite of this, my dad climbed the metaphorical mountain and achieved some truly incredible things in the final months of his life. He was and always will be a true inspiration to me and I’m always reminded of him when I see that little climbing man within the Man of Men badge.”
"My Dad was and always will be a true inspiration to me and I’m always reminded of him when I see that little climbing man within the Man of Men badge."
Emma Craske, Specialist Nurse at Prostate Cancer UK
Emma is one of our Specialist Nurses who are here for men, and their families, affected by prostate cancer. Last year there were over 15,000 contacts made to the team.
“The nurse icon is so important to me. It represents the people who contact the specialist nurse service looking for information and support that we speak to everyday and are at the heart of what we do. Each call is unique and everyone who contacts us has a different concern, experience or individual story to tell about how a diagnosis of prostate cancer has affected them.”
Gary Pettit, a Prostate Cancer UK supporter
Gary Pettit is a Financial Futures Broker from Essex. He was 43 when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer after a routine medical through work.
“Having gone through prostate cancer in 2012, wearing Prostate Cancer UK’s Man of Men badge for me is like putting on a piece of clothing, daily. My son Casey is also a big fan of the badge and always wears it too, which means the world to me. The icon that resonates the most with me is the man on the right-hand side of the badge that looks like he is walking. This is because I feel that going through prostate cancer is like going on a journey and along the way you are faced with many obstacles. Luckily for me my journey ended positively."