Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)

MEN V PROSTATE CANCER OUR FIGHT TO SAVE MEN’S LIVES

Experts can secure a memorable victory in the epic showdown against prostate cancer ...but they need your support

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DURING today’s FA Cup Final, at least one man in the UK will die from prostate cancer, the most common cancer in men.

Prostate cancer is predicted to become the most common cancer of all by 2030. But it doesn’t have to be like that. We are backing Prostate Cancer UK in their bid to save men’s lives. Your support could be a real game changer.

It’s FA Cup Final day, and by the time referee Anthony Taylor blows the full-time whistle this afternoon, Wembley will have a new set of legends.

Whether they score the winning goal, perform heroics between the stick or pull the strings in midfield, some players will earn a place in their club’s folklore. Sadly, in the longer term, some of the men lining up for Arsenal and Chelsea will face a far tougher challenge than winning the FA Cup. With one in eight men developing prostate cancer in their lifetime, and, even more shockingly, one in four black men, the chances are that several of the stars gracing the fabled Wembley turf this afternoon will be diagnosed with the disease further down the line. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, and is predicted to become the most common of all cancers in the UK by 2030. More than 46,000 men are diagnosed in the UK every year – that’s about half of today’s crowd at Wembley. Men like FA Cup winner Bob Wilson, England World Cup hero Nobby Stiles, and Manchester legends Denis Law and Mike Summerbee. And more than 11,000 men will die from prostate cancer this year in the UK. That’s one man every hour. To put that in perspectiv­e, two men will die from the disease in the UK during today’s Wembley clash if it goes into extra time. Men with prostate cancer face huge challenges too. There are more than 330,000 men in the UK living with cancer and the life-changing side-effects of treatment, which can include incontinen­ce, erectile dysfunctio­n and impact on mental well-being. But men are fighting back, with Prostate Cancer UK at the forefront of the battle. The charity funds groundbrea­king research into the causes of prostate cancer, more reliable tests and more effective treatments. It is also leading the way in education and raising awareness of the disease, and providing practical and emotional support for men who have been diagnosed, with services including a Specialist Nurse helpline. Prostate Cancer UK has invested £37million in research over the past 20 years, and there have already been some major breakthrou­ghs - such as the use of more advanced scans to improve diagnosis. Now the charity has set out a detailed plan to stop prostate cancer being a killer within 10 years, starting with better diagnosis, and detecting aggressive prostate cancer before it spreads to other parts of the body. New tests and new treatments are on the way, but the biggest breakthrou­gh in the next 10 years will come from scientists discoverin­g the best ways of using existing treatments, and combining and tailoring them for men with prostate cancer. Researcher­s are also investigat­ing the causes of prostate cancer, and their work will help men understand how diet and lifestyle may decrease their risk of getting the disease. Men facing prostate cancer, and the experts working tirelessly to stop it being a killer, are already doing all they can to beat the disease, but they need your help. Today’s Wembley showpiece is one of the greatest occasions in world football, not just because of the star players on the pitch, but also because of the electric atmosphere created by the supporters. So just like the Gunners and Blues fans willing their teams to victory today, you can be the twelfth man in the battle against prostate cancer. If we work together, this is a battle we will win.

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