Brookside Stars Blow The Final Whistle On Male Cancers

The cast of Brookside have today (13th June) helped to launch the third Go Sports Mad Day in aid of everyman - The Institute of Cancer Research's campaign to raise funds and awareness for male cancers. The television stars gamely pulled on their sports kit during the fifth annual everyman Male Cancer Awareness Month.

By teaming up with top celebrities from the television world, everyman is encouraging people from all over the country to join in the fun on Friday June 21st, Go Sports Mad Day. By wearing your favourite sports kit to work or school and donating just £1 to the everyman campaign you can help us tackle male cancers.

There are hundreds of ways you can get involved with Go Sports Mad Day and it needn't take too much time or effort. Go to work in your trainers or wear your favourite football shirt to school. Show your support for your national team during the World Cup by wearing your country's football top to work during games.

For those who are feeling more competitive why not organise a World Cup Sweepstake or an inter-company five-a-side match? The opportunities are endless and anything you can organise will help us to make a real difference in the fight against cancer.

Testicular cancer is the most common cancer amongst young men aged 15 - 35. Despite this fact, our research shows that 68% of men know little or nothing about it. This is worrying because, if testicular cancer is caught early enough, it has a 96% cure rate.

Philip Black, Director of Fundraising at The Institute of Cancer Research says: "The support of the public is crucial to everyman. Fundraising initiatives such as Go Sports Mad Day offer people the chance to have fun in their sports kits whilst also conveying an important message - we must carry out more research into these terrible diseases if we are ever to understand and eventually eradicate them."

The Institute is home to the UK's first, and only, dedicated Male Cancer Research Centre where research is carried out into many different aspects of male cancers. The centre needs £2 million annually and money raised from Go Sports Mad Day will go towards supporting this vital research.

For a free fundraising pack on Go Sports Mad Day call 0800 731 9468

Notes to editors
For more information or a copy of the photo please contact Becky Webb in The Institute of Cancer Research press office on 0207 970 6030.

• The everyman campaign was set up by The Institute of Cancer Research in 1997 to raise awareness of and funding for male cancers. June will mark the beginning of the fifth everyman - male cancer awareness month
• One man dies of prostate cancer in the UK every hour. 21,700 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed every year and this figure is likely to increase
• Testicular cancer is the most common cancer amongst young men aged 20 - 35. Cases have risen by 70% in the last 20 years but doctors do not know why
• The Institute is a charity that relies on voluntary income. The Institute is a highly cost-effective major cancer research organisation with 92p in every £ directly supporting research.