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16 Sep 2019Stephen Fry, Nile Rodgers, Jim Broadbent and more join Prostate Cancer UK to say 'Men, we are with you'
Today the message 'Men, we are with you' spreads far and wide as a host of celebrities join the fight against prostate cancer, revealing their own experiences of the disease.
One man dies every 45 minutes from prostate cancer. It kills more people than breast cancer. By 2030 it’s set to be the most common cancer in the UK.
Despite these shocking facts, prostate cancer hasn’t gotten the attention or resources that some other cancers have.
Together, we’ll change this. Together we're saying 'Men, we are with you.'
We need more people on our side to take action – to raise funds, to get stuck in and spread the word.
That's why today, we’re buzzing to announce that 14 legendary names from the world of music, showbusiness and sport have unified to share their own prostate cancer stories as part of our campaign to show men, we are with you.
We're rolling out a series of powerful films featuring famous faces who've been affected by prostate cancer, including TV personality Stephen Fry, music superstar Nile Rodgers, Doctor Who actress Jemma Redgrave, Oscar winning actor Jim Broadbent and many more.
Watch the film. Join the team. Stop prostate cancer being a killer.
We need to act now.
Our top priority is to stop prostate cancer killing men. We’re investing millions to fund research to transform the way prostate cancer is understood, diagnosed and treated.
A big problem is that unlike other cancers, you can’t check yourself and there’s no national screening program to help detect early-stage prostate cancer. We need to build a screening programme that can accurately detect prostate cancer early and also identify the best and kindest treatments for each man with the disease.
We have the plans and the expertise, but we still haven't found a prostate cancer test that's accurate enough. To find a more accurate test we need to fund more research. So we need thousands of supporters to stand up and make it happen.
Meet the team fighting prostate cancer
Thousands of people across the UK are fighting to get prostate cancer research the recognition and funding it urgently needs.
Join a stellar lineup including EastEnders trio Christopher Timothy, Davood Ghadami and Rudolph Walker, and TV presenter Rav Wilding.
Former Emmerdale star Gemma Oaten and Doctor Who actress Jemma Redgrave are also saying "Men, we are with you" as they talk about how their fathers have been affected by prostate cancer, shining a light on how the devastating diagnosis can impact families and loved ones too.
Also joining the fight from the world of sport is former Liverpool and England goalkeeper Ray Clemence who has been living with prostate cancer for more than 15 years, ex world champion boxer Johnny Nelson, whose father has been diagnosed with the disease, and former England rugby union player Ugo Monye.
This could help men have a better chance at early diagnosis and therefore give them more time.”
For Fry, speaking in the campaign about his prostate cancer followed on from his announcement last year that he had been treated for the disease. His announcement in 2018 also coincided with Bill Turnbull revealing his prostate cancer diagnosis, which quickly formed the Fry and Turnbull effect that urged more men to come forward for help and speak to their GP.
Fry said: “A prostate cancer diagnosis is a scary thing – you never expect it’s going to happen to you. Thankfully, mine was caught early enough that something could be done but I know that it isn’t the same for everyone.
“Prostate Cancer UK are investing in vital research that will hopefully take us that one step closer to finding a screening programme. This could help men have a better chance at early diagnosis and therefore give them more time.”
When my doctor told me I had an aggressive form of prostate cancer, everything in my happy music universe imploded in an instant
Knowing black men are more at risk of prostate cancer, with one in four black men in the UK being affected by the disease in their lifetime, three-times Grammy winning global musician Nile Rodgers.also features to highlight the increased risk.
Nile said: "When my doctor told me I had an aggressive form of prostate cancer, everything in my happy music universe imploded in an instant. But luckily I was given excellent health information at the time. And once I understood the options available I was able to make a choice about the treatment that was right for me."
Prostate Cancer UK are working hard to fund vital research, that will give hope to future generations of men, like my sons.
Former BBC Breakfast presenter Bill Turnbull was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in 2017. The media response to his story resulted in a huge increase in the amount of men contacting their GP. Like many fathers with prostate cancer, his hope is that prostate research and treatment will progress to a level where his sons don't have to worry.
“I’ve been completely overwhelmed and humbled by the response to me talking about my prostate cancer story. It makes me realise just how many men in the UK are being affected by this disease and I’ve had many men and their families get in touch to say they have since spoken to their doctors since hearing about my diagnosis.
“Prostate Cancer UK are working hard to fund vital research, that will give hope to future generations of men, like my sons, so that prostate cancer is something they no longer have to worry about. By getting behind them and speaking out about the disease, we too can help stop prostate cancer being a killer.”