A message from our CEO
This year, we have seen tremendous movement towards our ambition and that is thanks to people like you.
To truly address the scale of the most common cancer in men, our aim has been to inspire and influence people to come together across the local, national and global prostate cancer community to discover ways to save men’s lives.
Together, we give men the power to navigate prostate cancer, ensuring faster, fairer and better diagnosis and treatment.
We’re thrilled that over a million men have completed our 30-second online risk checker and can do something about their prostate cancer risk. This was only possible because so many men have bravely told their stories and our celebrity friends, key media, sport and corporate partners have amplified our message. And having listened to Black communities, whose risk of prostate cancer is double, we are delighted to record the highest levels of Black men taking the risk checker we have ever seen.
We cannot thank our loyal and generous supporters enough – this year you’ve enabled us to significantly ramp up our investment in game-changing research, innovation and transformation.
We are now the biggest funder of prostate cancer research in the UK, spending £25m this year alone. This means we can continue to build and nurture a community of researchers and a network of global experts, who are achieving more for men together than they could alone.
We saw a perfect example of that in our work alongside the research consortium developing the world-leading £42m TRANSFORM screening trial launched this year. TRANSFORM is designed to save thousands of lives by providing the evidence we need for a screening programme to get more men diagnosed early when prostate cancer is most treatable. We’re incredibly proud to have the convening power to deliver something so crucial and are delighted the Government have placed their faith in us and committed to contributing £16m towards the trial.
We salute our superb nurse specialists and the many healthcare professionals who are keen to make improvements for men with prostate cancer. We have embraced their thirst for knowledge, offering innovative educational programmes and backed their ideas for improvements. And we continue to talk directly to decision makers who have the power to make change happen.
As the leading UK prostate cancer charity, we play a pivotal role in the prostate cancer eco-system and know it is only by working in collaboration that we can create a world where no man dies of prostate cancer. I would like to express our gratitude to everybody who has contributed to the great strides we have made this year towards that goal and I hope you enjoy the report.
£26.3 million
We've invested £26.3m into research to change the way we diagnose and treat prostate cancer.
Over 14,000
Our Specialist Nurses have supported people navigating prostate cancer over 14,000 times.
A trial to deliver the evidence we need to bring in prostate cancer screening once and for all
We estimate that the UK could reduce prostate cancer deaths by 40% if we had an effective screening programme using modern methods of diagnosing the disease.
For years we’ve been laying the groundwork to design this groundbreaking trial, within the NHS, that will deliver clear evidence and definitive results. We’ve used our unrivalled convening power and influence. And we’ve built the necessary support and understanding in the health and policy landscape.
We’ve ensured the trial includes Black men who have double the risk of developing prostate cancer and have not been adequately represented in previous trials. TRANSFORM is so named because it will transform diagnosis in the UK and, due to its size, quality and the involvement of the NHS, could lead to change globally too.
Find out more about TRANSFORM
We’re incredibly proud to be the only UK organisation able to pull off a trial of this scale and ambition. Read about the latest updates.
Turning impactful research results into real world change. Fast.
From promising research to life-changing impact
Through our unique Transformational Impact Awards, we provide significant funding that helps scientists turn promising discoveries into life-changing improvements for men.
Professor Charlotte Bevan and her team at Imperial College London are among those benefiting from our funding. We’ve invested £1.6m to support their research, which will help us better understand how treating the prostate can affect cancer that’s spread to other parts of the body – when it becomes harder to treat.
By studying blood samples and cancer cells from men before and after treatment, Prof Bevan hopes to find new and better ways to treat prostate cancer that has spread.
This is a big project requiring a team of experts based in the UK, Europe, and the US, and we are thrilled that the scale of Prostate Cancer UK’s vision is going to make it happen.
Being there to support men, whatever they choose to do
Once men understand their risk of prostate cancer, we offer them the information and support they need to choose what to do next and throughout their prostate cancer journey. Actively listening to people navigating prostate cancer and prostate problems enables us to offer new services to meet important needs.
This year our kind, patient, expert Specialist Nurses gave support and information to people facing prostate cancer and prostate problems over 14,000 times, covering:
- Risk of prostate cancer and what to do next – we’re developing a new service so people can speak to a dedicated person about this.
- Navigating treatment and what comes next – this includes our specialist service to support people having sexual problems after prostate cancer treatment.
- Finding a path through a diagnosis of prostate cancer or other prostate problems, and understanding tests and results.
- When times get tough – we offer caring and practical support and signpost people to expert services, such as mental health support and support at the end of life if needed.
Our Specialist Nurses are here for you, via phone, email or live chat.
I cannot fault the service. I spoke to the same nurse twice who was outstanding both times. Her patience and empathy were exactly what I needed at the time. So informative and caring.
Our election manifesto
Some men, particularly Black men, have a much higher risk of getting prostate cancer. And far too many are dying needlessly, simply because they haven’t been told about their increased risk and what they can do about it.
In the lead up to the general election, we launched our manifesto. We set out how the next Government could save lives by proactively telling men at highest risk of prostate cancer about their risk and the tests available. This is particularly important for Black men, who often face inequity in the health system as well as an unequal risk of prostate cancer.
Through party conferences, parliamentary select committees, reports and in face-to-face meetings, we urged MPs to rethink diagnosis for these men, talking to key players at different levels of government.
Informing and empowering the men at highest risk to save lives
This year we saw 1.1 million people completing our risk checker – double the number from last year. Most importantly, 80% of those were men at highest risk.
This included Black men, who have double the risk of developing prostate cancer. It also included men from priority areas of the UK, such as Scotland and the West Midlands, where our research has shown men have a higher risk of being diagnosed at a late stage when the cancer has spread.
To empower men at the highest risk, we’ve been working with the Black community, testing and targeting our advertising campaigns and working with health professionals.
Through our carefully targeted advertising campaigns and the great relationships we’ve built over years with the media and brave celebrities sharing their stories, we’re getting lifesaving messages to millions of men across the UK.
Help us share the Risk Checker
Check your own risk and please keep sharing the risk checker with the men in your life.
10,000 sanitary bins
Men can dispose of incontinence products with dignity after 10,000 bins were placed in men's toilets
1.1 million men
1.1million more men understand their risk of prostate cancer, thanks to our risk checker.
Shaping the health landscape here and now
We work to change systems from the inside so that men navigating prostate cancer today have a faster, fairer and better experience within the health system. We do this by supporting and collaborating with leading health professionals and decision makers.
Our award-winning Clinical Champions programme supports health professionals to bring in improvements for men. We recruit diverse health professionals and empower them to bring in improvements for men with or at risk of prostate cancer. We’ve supported over 80 Champions so far.
Every year, in their surgeries and hospitals, their innovations make a real difference to thousands of men and are shared and replicated by others.
This year alone, over 10,000 men have been helped by real-world improvements brought in by our most recently graduating Champions.
Thank you for all you do!
A huge thank you to our generous supporters who together have helped bring in £43.8m to fund the huge strides we’ve made this year for men.
