Lancashire, Essex, Nottinghamshire & Sussex County Cricket Club knock male cancers for six as they Go Sports Mad!

Sports stars from County Cricket Clubs are batting for Everyman today
(11/06/03) as they kick off the fourth Go Sports Mad Day – The Institute of Cancer Research’s national fundraising day to raise funds and awareness for male cancers. The cricketers gamely pulled on their kit during the sixth annual Everyman Male Cancer Awareness Month.

By teaming up with sporting celebrities Everyman is encouraging people from all over the country to join in the fun on Friday June 27th, Go Sports Mad Day. By wearing your favourite sports kit to work or school and donating just £2 to the Everyman campaign you can help us tackle prostate and testicular cancer.

Lancashire team Captain Warren Hegg urges everyone to get involved: “I was bowled over to find out that many men are still too embarrassed to go their doctors. Go Sports Mad is such an easy way to raise funds and awareness for this very important cause. Anyone can join in the fun so what are you all waiting for!”

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. Almost 25,000 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed every year and this figure is on the increase. Prostate cancer is now the most common cancer in men, overtaking lung cancer.

Philip Black, Director of Fundraising at The Institute of Cancer Research says: “Fundraising initiatives such as Go Sports Mad Day are a fantastic way for us to raise awareness of testicular and prostate cancer, and also to help raise the vital research funds needed if we are to tackle male cancers.”

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 or visit www.gosportsmad.org.uk

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
• Almost 25,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year. Prostate cancer has now over taken lung cancer as the most prevalent cancer in men in the UK
• 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.